Mother Loves Me
by Gnarled Bone
Summary: "Mother loves you. No one else." Harry nodded. "Mother loves me." -I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto- Warning: Dark, Evil Harry. Could be considered insane as well. Violence, gore, torture. Abandoned until further notice.
1. Chapter 1

**AN**: I think my writing skills improved a little. There are some words you may not understand so there definitions will be posted at the bottom in the other **AN**.  
Please let me know what you think and if there are any errors. Reviews are appreciated, especially the ones that can help me improve. Enjoy.

This is unbetaed, and not that I don't think I need one, it's just that I have no clue as to how to do it and who would, so there may be some errors and the story may not flow as well as I hope it to. I have very low self-confidence so I'm unsure if I can finish an on-going story but I'll try if you want me to. Don't be suprised if it sucks though, I won't be.

This is a slight crossover with the anime/manga **Naruto**.

Warning: _Intense violence. (Torture and Gore). Read at you own risk. The disclaimer is in the summary, so I won't say it again._

* * *

Chapter One

Murderous Whispers

**"Avada Kedavra!"** Voldemort's high, hissing voice called, his wand raised at the child in front of him. He was unaware of the fact that, oddly enough, sand appeared behind Harry as the Killing Curse sailed towards him, the bright emerald light blinding them for a moment. It struck Harry's body and enveloped it in it's light before it rebounded, rendering Harry unconscious and Voldemort's soul flung out of it's body. If Voldemort still had his body he would be screaming in pain as his soul was ripped brutally from his body and yet still tied to the living plane.

The shadowy wraith that was Voldemort's soul vanished from Godric's Hollow, still unaware of the sand taking form behind Harry's unconscious body. It took the form of a small tanuki, blue vain-like markings covering it's condensed sand body. It had a jagged, concave mouth and the sclera of its eyes were black, containing yellow irises with pupils that take the shape of a black four-pointed star with four black dots around it between the points.

It smiled for a moment, and spoke, in a clearly feminine voice, _"You'll do, child."_ And with that, she vanished in a swirl of golden energy that disappeared trailing into Harry's stomach, a seal containing the kanji for one-tail in the center of it. He would know when the time came.

* * *

Emerald eyes which, hidden beneath taped glasses, should normally be bright, were dull and devoid of all emotion except hate and unnoticeable insanity as they stared up at the large beefy man standing above. They were rimmed with black rings, signifying insomnia. The eyes belonged to a pale, scrawny child of nine years old with wild, unmanagable black hair and a scar, resembling a lightning bolt, etched into his forehead. He was currently sprawled out on the floor of his cupboard, bleeding from a broken nose caused by his abusive uncle. He accidently broke his aunt's vase when he was preoccupied with avoiding Dudley's, his fat useless cousin's, fists. Even though it was an accident they wouldn't hear it, he knew that, so he didn't bother trying to explain it and just accepted his 'punishment'. A sharp pain jolted him back to reality when Vernon decided to stomp on his small frame, breaking a rib.

Harry didn't really understand why they hated him, just that they didn't like his parents, which supposedly died in a car crash, and that to them he was a freak, all because wierd things happened around him. Maybe he was? He was sure that the wierd things were caused by him, but he didn't know how. After a few seconds more of stomping on his quickly bruising body, a thoroughly exhausted Vernon decided to leave, pleased with the pain he caused his nephew.

Loatheful eyes bore into the back of his head as he left, wishing nothing more than for him to die slowly and painfully. His murderous eyes flinched in pain when suddenly his nose and ribs snapped back into place, an odd soothing sensation blooming into the areas that were wounded. It happened everytime he was beaten, and the soothing sensation stayed, carresing him like a mother's hug. Harry sighed out before pulling himself to his feet, thankful that the pain had vanished. He wished he had a mother.

_"You do..." _A soft voice whispered to him like it always did, and, although he didn't believe it, he took comfort in it.

He blinked, feeling the sticky blood that escaped his nose running over his lips. He wiped it away with his hand and looked at it, entranced by the color. How much blood could be spilled from Vernon's body, he wondered. He would love to see the alluring red color of lifeblood drip from his uncle's corpse.

_"We both would, dear one."_

The only light he had was a small bulb attached to the ceiling that flickered out occasionally, but that didn't bother him. He was used to the dark and welcomed it, for when it came, so did the voice. It told him of places to hide when he was locked out of the house and that when night came his relatives would likely be asleep, giving him an oppurtunity to sneak out of his cupboard and steal some food from the fridge, an unnoticeable portion, of course. If they noticed any food had vanished he might not survive the beating from Vernon.

Harry was far more intelligent than anyone gave him credit for, and whenever he had the chance after school he'd head to the library to escape Dudley and his thugs, knowing that they would never set foot in such a place. He'd read the books there to pass the time and learn whatever interested him, since the Dursleys didn't like him learning at school and would 'punish' him if he did better than their precious little Duddydums. Harry resisted guffawing when he thought that, 'little', what a joke. He most certainly wasn't an angel either, Harry noticed him smoking behind the bleachers after school in gym and insufflationing bags of heroin he bought by stealing his parents money, having got addicted to it by his friend Pier's older cousin, who had connections with a hospital nearby. Harry hoped Dudley would end up taking an overdose of heroin and drop dead, or at least end up in the hospital so he wouldn't have to see the fat lard anytime soon.

He had nobody who cared about him and he cared for nobody in return, except for the voice. He would be sad if he couldn't hear it anymore even though it was all in his head. It wasn't like anybody would really care if he died, the neighbors thought he was a lunatic, believing the lies his relative's fed them on a daily basis, 'Him? Oh, he's a lying thief! It's best not to get involved with him, he's not right in the head. Dangerous, he is!' was the excuse his useless Uncle Vernon usually spouted.

Though he was right, Harry admitted, in someway. He always had murder in his thoughts and he certainly wasn't _all_ sane. He_ had_ became a very good liar, and he was already an excellent thief with having to sneak out every night for food. Whenever his teachers at school asked why the Dursleys couldn't attend a 'Parent/Teacher' meeting to talk about his grades, he never informed the Dursleys. He always gave his teachers a faux apologetic face and explained that the Dursleys were regretful that they couldn't come and something or other came up, and claimed that they would come to the next.

His teachers never doubted his words, even if time and time again they wouldn't come. They didn't believe a child had any reason to lie about why his family didn't come. Harry and Dudley had different classes so his teachers never encountered his relatives and thus couldn't explain how proud they were to have such an intelligent child in their class. He had asked the teachers to give his report card directly to him at the end of the day so he could deliver it himself and 'make them proud', so after a short time of charming smiles and persuasive words he managed to convince them. He practiced copying his aunt's signature before asking them, and, although there were still a few flaws, small as they were, was able to sign it without the Dursleys knowing so they wouldn't beat him for his excellent grades and the teachers didn't doubt that his aunt signed it. He hid the report cards under a loose floorboard in the cupboard to keep it hidden until the next day to return it. They never even noticed his report cards stopped coming in.

* * *

When Harry went to bed that night he awoke in a strange place. It was a desert with a large, mountain-like dune in the center of it and a blue canvas behind the scorching sun. Wind was blowing sand everywhere, and yet he could see clearly. While he knew it was hot it didn't effect him. It felt natural, oddly enough, to him, like he belonged there. He heard the soft voice, gently whispering into his ears.

_"Come to Mother, and she will show you the truth."_

While Harry knew his mother died in a crash, he was compelled to find the one calling him. He briefly wondered what the voice meant by 'the truth'.

Walking toward the dune, he took one step and suddenly appeared right in front of it, startling him bad enough that he fell onto his rear. The dune had a large cave-like entrance and within was a large hulking shadow, about two thirds as big as the dune. His mouth was agape with fear as golden eyes lazily drifting in the center of a dark sclera with odd star-like pupils gazed down at him, an odd emotion behind it's eyes. He felt that this colossus was a predator, a bloodthirsty one at that, and wouldn't hesitate at crushing him if he made a wrong move. He trembled but managed to raise himself up slowly, although he just wanted to lay down and play possum. He stood and had to raise his face skyward just to see the face of the giant, it's maw in an smile.

His opened his mouth once, closed it, and opened it again to shakily ask, "What are you? And what's that thing?" He had noticed a creatures corpse laying at the colossus' feet, it's face appearing snake-like with crimson orbs glazed over and it's body as small as a childs, though thin and malnourished.

The colossus continued to smile and it's voice boomed,_"This one is what you humans call a demon, a tanuki demon to be exact, child. This one's name is Shukaku. The dead one over there is a fragment of Voldemort's disgusting soul. I refuse to devour such a thing."_ Harry was suprised that the voice sounded as feminine as the voice that always speaks to him. He was suprised it could speak at all! He decided that it was female though, not spotting what would mark it as a male. He was also confused as to why she referred to herself in third person but disregarded it.

"What's a tanuki? And where are we?" He asked, mentally berating himself for unwittingly starting a conversation with a demon. Was any of this even real? He highly doubted it was, since he remembered that he went to bed earlier, although he didn't sleep more than three or four hours a day, constantly plagued with nightmares of a woman screaming, a flash of green light, and high, chilling laughter which caused him to awake with his scar searing. He supposed this was the car crash, but had no idea as to why there was laughter and green light and how he remembered any of it.

The colossus blinked for a moment before replying,_ "Ah, a tanuki is japanese for raccoon dog. As for where we are, this is your mind, child. This is real, even though you are asleep and we are within your head. This is no dream, for this one can exsist outside of the seal."_

"My mind? How can I believe this is actually real? And what do you mean 'seal'? Why are you and that _thing_ here? And why did you call yourself my Mother? You sound like the voice that always spoke to me." He was confused, no doubt about it. Here was this giant demon, telling him that they were inside his mind and this was real. He was still terrified and if this was actually real he didn't know what to do. More importantly, if this was real, why was this demon inside his head?

_"Yes, your mind. Or your mindscape, and this, this is this one's natural habitat, as the element she reigns over is sand and wind. This one will prove to you this is real when you awake from you slumber by revealing the seal."_ Shukaku paused for a second, before continuing. "_The seal this one is contained in rests on your stomach. This one chose you as her container, sensing your potential when the one who murdered your parents, that thing over there being apart of his soul which latched onto you when he attempted to kill you, turned his wand on you and sent a spell which would end your life, which you deflected. Because this one chose you as her container she must reside within you, this one needs a container so she won't be dragged back down to Hell. This one calls you her child because she heals you when the fat flesh bag harms you, and she has become attached to you since she was with you since you were an infant."_

"My parents were murdered, and that thing is the one who did it? I thought they died in a car crash! And what the hell do mean by 'magic'?" Harry lost what little calm he had. Those worthless Dursleys told him they died in a car crash, that part he believed. Did he believe that the scar he got was from the crash? No. He also didn't believe they were drunk or worthless, just got caught in a tragic accident. To think that they were murdered and he never knew, and that disgusting creature within his mind was the one to do it repulsed him.

After that the tanuki told him, demons live for centuries so are obviously very knowledgable, about magic, how his parents were wizards that were murdered by the dark lord Voldemort because of a prophesy saying he or some other was the one to defeat him, how he was a wizard too, Voldemort's horcruxes and how he was once one but the demon destroyed it, and how Dumbledore placed him with his relatives for his 'safety', he was shocked, furious, and most of all bloodthirsty, for both Voldemort's, Dumbledore's, and the Dursley's blood, and stated so to the demon.

Shukaku's colossus body glowed golden for a moment, and, in a swirl of sand, appeared a woman. Her eyes were the same as her other form, her ears were pointed, and her hair resembled the color of rich sand. Her eyes were ringed like his, like that of a racoon, and her feet were also bare. She wore a simple white dress and had faint blue vein-like markings trailing over her tan skin. She had single tanuki tail with the same vein markings drifting behind her, claws replacing her nails, and had canines for teeth. Harry blinked in shock.

"How did you do that?"

_"When searching for a container in an area populated by humans it's unwise to take the shape of a normal tanuki, so this one had to improvise." _She smiled a fanged grin._ "This one will assist you in your endeavor, child, for she is not one to pass up a chance for bloodshed."_

"How come you didn't show yourself to me before?" He was wondering that since the start.

_"This one is a demon of bloodlust, and the seal would not allow this one, however, since your lust for blood increased everytime the flesh bags you reside with harm you in any way it allowed this one some measure of freedom. Now that you know this one exists she can assist you in your goals. This one insists you call her Mother."_

Harry was a bit uncomfortable with her request but complied.

"What now, Mother?" He asked.

_"Now,"_ she giggled before grinning her fanged grin, _"This one wishes for you to take vengeance. Kill the flesh bags that harmed this one's child. Bathe in their blood. Make them pay."_ Harry nodded, his lips quirking upward for a second, murder in his eyes, before his form vanished.

* * *

When Harry awoke he never felt better. He faintly noticed wisps of sand appearing around him and disappearing, signifying that the 'dream' was real. He smiled happily, realizing he had someone that cared about him. There was no light shining outside his cupboard, and he could clearly hear with his enchanced senses as the container of his Mother that his relatives were sleeping. He grinned a sadistic smile and raised his hand up, torrents of sand appearing and bending to his will. Soft, cool wind whistled quietly around him, carressing his form.

Once he figured out how to control his abilities with the guidance of his Mother he silently picked the lock to his cupboard with sand that was condensed into a lockpick. Once out of the cupboard he stealthily made his way up the stairs and into his cousin's room, being sure to avoid the sqeaky boards he had mentally mapped out when he usually snuck out before reaching his cousin's door. He opened and closed the door silently incase his aunt or uncle wake up and see that the fat lard's door was open and decide to check up on Dudley.

Raising his hand he quietly whispered, **"Sabaku Kyū."** Sand appeared and gagged Dudley before he could wake as sand crawled up his body, incasing him in a coffin of sand.

The last thing Dudley saw was his cousin grinning sadistically as he said, "Mother wants your blood." Before his cousin's demonic sand engulfed him, muffling his screams. Harry clenched his outstretched hand in a fist.

**"Sabaku Sōsō."** The sand that incased Dudley imploded silently, crushing and snapping his bones and flesh as his muffled screams were put out and his blood splattered the walls. Still grinning Harry used his wind abilities to clean himself of the blood as his sand continued crushing Dudley until it was a ball about as twice as big as Dudley's head, blood seeping out the bottom of the sand. The sand vanished and revealed to him the remains of his cousin. He didn't even recognize him with the fragments of bone impaling the lump flesh. He briefly wondered where his face was before shrugging and silently walking out and closing the door.

_"Mother enjoyed the blood."_ Harry nodded, happy that his Mother was pleased.

He stretched briefly to remove the kinks in his shoulders before making his way to his aunt and uncle's bedroom. He wriggled the knob slightly to find it was locked. Repeating the process he used with his cupboard he opened the door. He stared at the forms lying in bed for a second, trying to decide how to kill them, and decided to have his aunt watch him torture Vernon before doing the same to her. He quickly gagged them and bound them, using his sand to raise them in the air. Once they were fully awake and aware of what was going on he grinned at them.

"Hello..." He drew out the 'o' with cheer, "So nice of you to join Mother and I in our game." He knew they'd think him insane for believing he had a Mother, but frankly, he didn't care. In fact he was going for it, since it was sure to inspire more terror and he was correct when he noticed their struggling intensify and their muffles grow louder. "I just finished playing with Duddykins, he and I had such fun! So much that his head exploded!" He gave out a barking laughter here, not loud enough for anyone outside the house to hear. At this the remaining living Dursley's eyes widened in horror and fear, catching his meaning when their bonds tightened slightly.

"See, I'm going to play with Uncle Verny over here and you're going to watch to see how it's done, 'kay auntie?" He decided to take their struggling as confirmation and had Vernon's bonds tighten until they snapped his wrists and and ankles, his muffles loud and fat tears running down his cheeks and into the sand. Aunt Petunia seemed to grow so terrified and filled with horror that she now resembled a fish or worm wriggling in the air.

Harry scowled, "Hey, hey! Now look what you've gone and done, my sand's all dirty." More sand incased him until everything from his waist and below was incased in sand. He raised his hand and closed it in a fist, "Seems like I'm going to have to punish you. **Sabaku Sōsō**." The sand imploded like it had with Dudley, splattering Petunia with blood. Harry avoided the blood by using his wind manipulation to change it's course to Petunia, finding amusement in her fear.

Getting an idea Harry used his sand and condensed it into a shortsword. He walked towards his uncle and began to carve the word 'freak' into his chest, using his sand to keep him from moving around too much. Once it was carved he pierced Vernon's shoulder with his blade and let it dissolve, before raising his hand and trailed it along Vernon's form, making sure not to touch him so as to not taint his own skin. Vernon's eyes were beginning to glaze over at the intense pain before Harry's hand stopped just above Vernon's heart, the sand within his blood writhing inside it before he cleched his hand slowly, Vernon's chest seeming to bulge for a second before blood began seeping out of the carved words. He slumped over in the sand, obviously dead.

_"Delicious..."_ Shukaku purred.

Petunia's screams were muffled, though they grew louder each second and Harry glared, his teeth bared in a snarl. He did not want to be discovered just yet, he needed time to change his appearance as all the neighbors knew what he looked like from the countless chores outside and since they thought him a lunatic they'd have the police here in minutes.

"Silence, wench."

Petunia unconsciously obeyed out of fear.

"Now that Verny's terminated from the game it's your turn."

Sand encircled her body like a snake before it connected to the sand that was gagging her and begun to slide into her mouth and down her throat, choking her as it slid down to her bowels. "I'm not going to go any further 'cause I don't really want my sand stained and foul smelling." The sand within her formed sand-like thorns that pierced her intestines and Harry commanded them to spin, shredding them like a blender as Petunia screamed, or tried to with the sand choking her. Harry decided to end her.

**"Sabaku Kyū,"** the sand incased her in a coffin as his hand was outstretched. **"Sabaku Sōsō."** the hand clenched and Petunia's coffin imploded, showering him with blood. The blood that landed in his hair glowed golden before his hair was dyed a reddish black, just as some of the blood that landed on his forehead, opposite of his scar, glowed as well for a moment, the blood etching the kanji for 'love' into his forehead in a tatoo. A demented grin overcame his lips before his Mother spoke up.

_"Any who dare try to harm you again will be buried beneath _our_ desert, their blood painting the sand. Mother loves you. No one else."_

Harry nodded.

"Mother loves me."

* * *

The next morning it was reported that the normal Dursley family was brutally murdered, with no evidence besides the small trails of sand leading from the cupboard to their bodies found. The child that was in their care was missing and they found traces of abuse within their household.

* * *

**AN**: So how was it? I might continue later in the future, _maybe._ However, if you send me rude reviews or pms about me continuing I'll leave this fic a oneshot and you'll never get an update. I absolutely HATE being hassled, it causes me alot of mistakes. If I do continue it'll be slow, as I'm not used to writing fictions. If alot of people like this there's a high chance of me continuing, but like I said, I won't be able to update fast. And another thing, I won't continue if I don't think anyone's reading it.

There might be some kind of romance later on, so if I decide to continue and perhaps add romance I'll paste a poll on my profile to pick who you want as Harry's romance option. I've never done a romance before so it'll probably be lacking if I do decide to make one.

**Definitions:**

**Sabaku Kyū (Sand Binding Coffin)- OFFENSE  
**With his ability to control sand, Harry encases his opponents in a large amount of sand, immobilizing them. It can be used to suffocate an opponent or in preparation for a deadlier technique, the Imploding Sand Funeral.

**Sabaku Sōsō (Imploding Sand Funeral)- OFFENSE**  
After wrapping an opponent with sand, Harry will cause the sand to implode and crush whatever is within. When used to kill a person, the death is so quick that there isn't even time to feel pain. The pressure also produces a sizable fountain of blood. Harry can control the pressure used in the attack, which allows him to merely break bones or completely liquefy an opponent.

**Tanuki -**  
Japanese raccoon dog.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN**: I do not own the lullaby, it is owned by someone under the alias of *black*and*white*. All rights to the poem belong to him/her.

I decided to continue, but as I said once before I won't be able to update fast, I usually have no patience for an ongoing story but I decided to try my luck. I hope your not dissapointed with this chapter. I woke up feeling like crap with stomach pains so I was a bit distracted. This is the longest chapter I've ever written.

_Now about me signing the petition to stop Fanfiction from deleting stories with sexual content and instense violence, it's only because I happen to like alot of stories with intense violence, gore, and torture. I can understand them deleting stories with sexual content, and I don't really care for sexual scenes because I can't stand reading them and just skip them. I don't like the fact their telling us to 'Unleash Your Imagination' before snuffing it out. I do respect that their trying to enforce their guidelines, I just don't get why they haven't done it before and are only doing it now that their are thousands, possibliy millions, of them._

**POLL (_Important for this fic_):** There's going to be a poll in my profile for which animal would be Harry's familiar, it won't be a magical animal though (raccoon, red-tailed hawk, or sand viper), and if he should be in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. Only one can be displayed though, as I just found out, so you can vote for the animal in reviews. I can't picture him in Hufflepuff though, sorry. There's a picture in deviant art under my acount faded-flight if anyone wants to see what Harry looks like, it's not exactly as I want it but it's close enough. Hope you don't hate my drawing skills. Just search for 'Harry/Gaara Mother Loves You' in deviant art and it should show up.

This is a slight crossover with anime/manga **Naruto.**

Warning: _Intense Violence (Torture and Gore). Read at your own risk._

* * *

Chapter Two

Branch of Insanity

Albus Dumbledore, famed 'Leader of the Light', was panicking. The gadgets that monitored Privet Drive stopped working entirely, and from what he heard from the muggle news the Dursley's were dead, brutally murdered and the Boy-Who-Lived was reported missing, nothing but sand giving them a clue as to who, or what, did it.

He suspected he was kidnapped, however that should be impossible with the blood wards surrounding Privet Drive. Maybe the wards were weaker than he thought? No, the wards were one of the strongest of it's kind, created to ward off all those with truly vile intentions aimed at those within, most importantly Harry. Only those who were invited and of the same blood as Harry were able to breach them. Perhaps they tricked young Harry? Yes, that would explain it. They may have asked him if they were allowed to set foot on his relative's property or something of the like, however, he couldn't be sure as of yet if that was the real reason. Why was their so much sand? And it only trailed from his cupboard to the Dursley's rooms, not outside. He didn't think anyone could apparate inside the wards.

Poor Harry, fooled, probably blaming himself for his relative's deaths. The Dursleys certainly wouldn't let any strange, unsusual people onto thier property, he was certain of it. He only hoped that his Order could find Harry before it was too late. He was currently having them scout out any clues left at the scene besides the sand and searching to see if Harry was nearby. He had also asked Snape to subtly see if he could find out if Lord Voldemort was behind the tragic event, so far there was nothing. Voldemort had yet to obtain a mortal body and the Death Eaters remained inactive, having not attempted searching for him, fearing him more than they were loyal to him.

A withered finger traced the sand that was found at the scene, it being contained in a small clay bowl laced with magic runes. It still had yet to identify if the sand had any magical properties to it, be he was certain that it was vital to figuring out what happened that night at Privet Drive and where the Wizarding World's golden boy was at.

"Where are you, my boy? What happened?" His aged voice sighed out, riddled with worry.

* * *

He had done it. He had killed the Dursleys. Just remembering the images of there mangled and bloodied corpses sent a rush of adrenaline, pleasure, and gleeful satisfaction through his body and mind. The feeling of having there lives in his hands, the power to end them was addictive. The tiny part of him that was still sane whispered that it was _wrong_, that he should feel remorse, horror at what he had done, but he ignored it. It wasn't like it mattered anymore, and besides, he_ enjoyed_ it.

_"It was never wrong, dear one. They deserved it, harming a predator surperior to them." _His Mother reassured him, even if he didn't need it, and he was thankful for that.

_Mother knows best, doesn't she?_ A gentle soothing prescence caressing his mind was his answer.

Harry observed his surroundings silently as he trailed down the road leading to the Leaky Cauldron, having been told it was the entrance to Diagon Alley by his beloved Mother. A knapsack containing necessitys was slung over his shoulder, having stolen all thier money, some clothes, and food from the Dursley's before he left. His free hand was resting in his pocket.

There was only one Dursley left, Marge, and he decided to search for her later, her fat lard was sure to be at thier funeral, probably the only one to attend too. He'd be sure to kill her stupid mutt too, annoying that it was. He's save Duddydums' gang for later, and perhaps Ms. Figgs too, Mother told him she reported to that crotchety old mad Dumbles about his status daily, so they probably knew about some, if not all, of the mental and physical abuse he suffered daily, and that meant he intentionally _ignored_ it. It only added fuel to his hatred for Dumbledore.

His Mother and him had gotten closer over the time he had murdered the Dursley's, which was four days ago. He found that she liked and disliked many of the things he did, not just blood and killing things. They both disliked people who acted surperior to them and others, hypocrites, _'heroes'_ and rapists. Sure he enjoyed killing people and _maybe_ he took pleasure in listening to their screams of agony, but that didn't mean he would enjoy stealing the innocence of women, having had his own stolen from him from the abusive hands of the Dursley's, although they didn't steal away his virginity, for which he was thankful for. He couldn't stand the thought of his flesh being tainted by them.

His Mother, he found, liked to sing, corresponding well with his love for music. She frequently sung to him whenever he asked, being unable to sleep since his meeting with her. The weariness that plagued his body vanished when she sung. His favorite was the 'Bittersweet Lullaby' so far.

_"A whisper of dark stillness,_  
_A note of the night,"_

Harry smiled, realizing his beloved Mother heard his thoughts and decided to sing it again to him. Her soft voice echoed within the confines of his mind, caressing him in a soothing aura as he relaxed.

_"Singing softly to me,_  
_But away from my sight."_

Listening to her he walked further down the street, glaring darkly at anyone who looked at him longer then they should. He was currently dressed in a dark grey shirt, a red sash hanging diagonally over his shoulder and trailing down to his hip, encircling his back. He wore black and red cargo pants and his feet were incased in red sandals. He had bought it at muggle store he passed during his search for the Leaky Cauldron, having had to discard his bloody clothes that were stained with his relative's lifeblood and not wanting to use another pair of Dudley's clothes, although he did to purchase the clothes. He wasn't bothered that his clothing was attracting the suns heat, since he welcomed it.

_"A voice of angelic sadness,_  
_A dancing silhouette,_  
_Both horrific and wonderful,_  
_Sleep is quiet yet."_

His posture was relaxed, although his eyes were alert for any threat, unnoticeable specks of sand trailing after his form. He briefly wondered if Dumbledore found out he was missing yet, Ms. Figgs was sure to report it as soon as possible. He wondered how Dumbledore reacted to his 'sacrificial lamb' disappearing. Probably had his burning chickens searching for him, not like they'd recognize him.

_"A breath of silver stardust,_  
_A soft, sad cry_  
_Spinning all around me,_  
_A bittersweet lullaby."_

_Thank you, Mother. _He sent his gratitude through the mental link they shared and was answered by Mother's lovely voice.

_"Your welcome, dear one."_

* * *

Arriving at the Leaky Cauldron he sensed the faint trace of magic surrounding it. None of the passerbys seemed to notice it, which he concluded it was because they were muggles, not sensing the magical core wizards usually possesed within them. He supposed it looked like a dark, shabby, run-down pub to them. He shrugged this off and walked inside, his eyelids drooping slightly from fatigue, giving him a bored, sleepy expression. He took note of people inside, finding no one significant besides the barkeeper. A hag was at one of the nearby tables, smiling with sickly sweetness as she gazed at him along with the other residents before dropping her gaze quickly in fear when he glared, at her for a moment, eyes seeming to reflect her dying horribly. The other residents took the hint and turned their eyes away at him.

His drowsy expression back in place he walked towards the barkeeper, Tom, and asked, "Can you show me the entrance to Diagon Alley? I have urgent business there."

Tom glanced at him suspiciously, "Not off to Hogwarts are you? You look a little too young to be heading off there, and where are your parents?"

"Dead. I'm emancipated so I don't need to be accompanied by anyone. I was born prematurely so I'll obviously be smaller and younger than I look." He answered. He had went over this with his Mother, so as to easily get Tom to show him the way to Diagon Alley without a fuss, and seeing how he was a great liar it was easy.

Tom nodded silently, accepting his explanation, apologising, "Sorry about that, I didn't know. Follow me then."

_"Mother's impressed."_ Shukaku spoke up, proud of her containers skill to easily decieve others.

Harry nodded, thankful for the compliment, and Tom took the nod as his apology accepted.

Tom led Harry out to the back door and walked towards a brick wall with a trash cans pressed up against it, and a few barrels off to the side.

Tom turned to him berfore pointing towards a certain brick. "You have to tap it, three up, two across, to open the entrance." Before turning back and demonstrating, tapping the bricks in the required sequence slowly so Harry would understand, not like he wouldn't with his photographic memory.

The bricks seemed to collapse, shift, and slide onto eachother, revealing the entrance to Diagon Alley. Tom turned and made his way back into the Leaky Cauldron, having completed what Harry asked him to do.

* * *

Arriving in Diagon Alley Harry couldn't help but be slightly awed, though his face didn't show it being completely blank, having not seen anything like this before, being caged up like a common animal by the Dursleys. The streets that were bordered by countless stores and restaurants where paved with cobblestones, giving it a midieval look. Windows displayed magical instruments, stacks of spell books, brooms, cauldrons, and other wares. Some restaurants even had tables outside, colored umbrellas attached to their center.

A few wizards and witches were out and about, paying no heed to the dark red-headed child walking with his arms crossed in the street, and unconsciously gave him a wide berth from his prescence. He noticed that it wasn't as packed as he imagined it to be, since students were currently at Hogwarts and had already gotten their school supplies.

His target lay at the end of the street, a large, imosing, pure white multistoried building. Gringotts Wizarding Bank, where he hopes to read his parents wills. Dumbledore probably had them sealed away, he doubted his parents would've wanted him to be placed with someone like the Dursleys, their hatred of magic was evident to him so he was sure they had made it clear to them at some point. He briefly wondered who he'd have been placed with if not the Dursleys, but shrugged it off. He didn't need anyone but Mother.

Walking up a set of white stairs he arrived at the Gringott's entrance, a set of burnished bronze doors flanked by two goblins in uniforms of scarlet and gold. The goblins sneered at him, to which he glared, channeling his bloodlust into his gaze and causing the goblins eyes to widen and shift their gaze elsewhere, subdued. He decided he didn't really like goblins if they were the same as these ones. Smirking, Harry opened the doors, revealing a small entrance hall and another set of doors. They too, were flanked by armored goblins. Engraved on the silver doors was an ominous but catchy warning.

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors  
_  
_A treasure that was never yours,  
_  
_Thief, you have been warned, beware  
_  
_Of finding more than treasure there._

_I wonder what they mean by 'beware of finding more than treasure.' Is there some kind of magic protecting the vaults?_ Harry mused, only for his mother to answer him.

_"Yes. It is also rumoured that dragons and other mysterious beasts are used to protect the bank, although this one knows not how many or what kind." _Harry was suprised. Dragons? Now that he thought about it he really shouldn't, but being raised as a 'normal' person would he thought dragons to be a myth. Foolish of him, seeing as magic was real. He wondered just how many mythical creatures out there were actually real. Subtly nodding to his Mother in thanks he proceeded through the silver doors, intent on finding out how much he owned and what his parents left him.

Once inside he immediately noticed it was a vast hall, made entirely of marble, with long counters stretching along its length to the door, and were other doors leading off to what he presumed to be the vault passageways. The seats at the counters were occupied by around a hundred goblins, their appearances ranging from long pointy noses and pointed beards to long drooping ears and dark slanted eyes. Most of them had dark skin and long, gnarled fingers.

There was one goblin, sitting at what he concluded to be the main desk, who glanced at him with annoyance. He ignored it and walked up to him. The goblin intentionally ignored him and until he glared at him darkly, clearing his throat to get his attention. He didn't like being ignored.

"We don't do business with snot-nosed brats. Leave." Harry snarled, baring his teeth at the goblin who looked frightened and taken aback by the sudden influx of killing intent.

"I wish to see about reading my parent's wills and changing my name, and if you refuse I'll take immense _pleasure_ in making you... _regret_ your decision." Harry worded the words carefully, it wouldn't do to outright threat to kill a goblin even though he could kill them all with Shukaku by his side. The pressure increased, making the goblin attempt to shrink into himself.

The goblin quickly attempted to recover once the aura that exuded from Harry lessened, although it didn't remove the sudden realization that Harry was a dangerous individual, one that should_ not_ be antagonized. "Your name being...?"

He grinned, knowing his answer would most likely shock the annoying creature, "Harry Potter," the goblins eyes widened, "And I wish for you to be discreet in my dealings here. No one, not even my magical 'gaurdian' Dumbledore, is to know of what happens here. Understand?" He channeled a little bloodlust into his hard gaze, just to get the point across. The goblin hastily nodded, pointed ears flapping, before pulling out a ceremonial dagger and a small basin. Harry sensed magic covering the surface of the basin and glanced at it curiously.

"I need to first confirm if you are indeed Harry Potter, since it is standard procedure, so if you could just slit your finger and place a few drops of blood into the bowl we can get you the wills." Harry nodded, conceding to the goblin's request, and grabbed the dagger before forcefully restraining his **Suna no Tate** to not interfere with the procedure and slit his pointer finger, the alluring crimson liquid splashing into the basin with a soft patter for each drop. Once the required amount was reached the goblin took the basin and performed a few tests, his hands moving in an odd gesture.

_"Wandless magic, dear one. More importantly, _goblin_ magic." _Mother answered his unvoiced question. Harry unnoticeably tilted his head in a nod of thanks before turning his attention back to the goblin who appeared to be finished.

"You were confirmed to be Harry Potter, so I'll be right back and retrieve your wills for you to read," the goblin paused, "Or do you wish to change your name first?"

Harry was silent for a moment, mulling it over, before deciding to change his name first. The reading of the wills may take a while and he wanted to get his name change out of the way, seeing that the basin was able to easily confirm who he was. Perhaps Dumbledore could as well? Who was to say he didn't already?

"The name change first, I'd rather not be recognized as the famed 'Boy-Who-Lived'." He spoke his moniker with sarcasm and annoyance. It was given to him by Dumbledore, so of course he despised it. Besides it was a mouthful.

The goblin nodded, reaching into a drawer and seeming to search for something before pulling out a piece of parchment. The goblin looked it over for a moment to be sure before handing it to Harry and gesturing to the quill and inkwell on the desk commonly used by customers. "You just have to fill out this for with you former name and the new one you wish to apply to yourself."

Harry nodded and took the parchment, dipping the quill into the ink before mentally contacting his Mother. _What should I put, Mother?_

_"... Hadrian Subaku, dear one. You'd still be able to use your original name as a nickname." _Harry nodded and jotted the name down before quickly filling the rest of the form. Once finished he set the quill down and notified the goblin, handing the parchment to him. "I filled it out. I'd like to read my parents wills now, goblin."

The goblin's face was set in a grimace at the blatant disrespect Harry was showing but restrained himself from lashing out with an insult, not wanting to be subjected to Harry's gaze again. He nodded and disappeared into one of the doors, leaving Harry at the desk. Harry entertained himself with using his wind manipulation to knock over one of the gems in the pile a goblin was stacking up on his desk causing them to be scattered onto the floor without any of them suspecting him since he only glanced in that direction. The goblin cursed vehemently in Gobbledegook, the harsh, raspy sounding language of the goblins, which still sounded distinctly human, and scuttled out of his seat to retrieve the gems scattered on the floor.

The other goblins were grinning, some laughing, seeming to enjoy the annoyance the goblin was dealt.

_Guess they have no sympathy, even for their own kind. _Harry mused. Mother told him goblins were known to be cruel, greedy, and bloodthirsty. If so, why were the wizards so reliant on them to monitor and protect their hard earned money? Was it that they had no choice or were they actually arrogant enough to believe that the goblins didn't have any problems with their blatant view of being surperior to them?

He was broken out of his musings by the door the goblin from earlier used opening and revealing him with a letter sealed with what he presumed to be the seal of the Potter family.

The goblin quickly handed it to him, "Here is their will, Mr. Subaku."

Harry honored him with a nod and took it, moving over to one of the chairs used for clients and ripped the seal open, pulling out the folded parchment within. Once it was in his hands he stared at it. What would have his life been like if they were alive? Would he still be placed with the Dursleys? Would he have ever met Mother? At that thought he ignored all others. He wouldn't be able stand being without Mother. She gave him power to right the wrongs he has been caused, gave him the ability to kill those who harmed him, and relish it, and most of all she was the only one to truly love him. She stayed at his side since he was a child, chose him, and comforted him when he didn't even know she existed.

Unfolding the parchment he quickly read the contents.

_Dear Harry, _

_If your reading this we have passed on. Voldemort probably managed to figure out we were under the Fidelius Charm, which means Wormtail, or Peter Pettigrew, betrayed us. We switched the Secret Keepers without anyone but Dumbledore being the witness, so Sirius shouldn't be blamed. We changed them knowing Voldemort would most likely go after Padfoot, Sirius, your godfather since he was the most likely candidate. Moony, Remus, denied the position so we had to make do with Wormy._

_Voldemort was after you because of the prophecy Sybill Trelawney made, though we're suprised she could actually predict something true. It said: _

_"__The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..._"

_One of Voldemort's followers overheard the prophecy in Hog's Head during her interview, only half of it, however, and reported it to Voldemort._

_It means one of you will have to kill eachother or the other will kill you. Dumbledore believes that you or Neville, the other child suspected to be a part of the prophecy, has the power to stop Lord Voldemort. While we know it's selfish we only hope he doesn't go after you._

_In the case that we do die gaurdianship over you is to be forfeited to one of the following if they are able:  
__  
Sirius Black (Godfather)  
Remus Lupin  
Alice and Frank Longbottom  
__  
In the case that none of them are able and you are old enough to understand you may be emacipated._

_You are NOT, under any circumstances, to be placed in the care of my sister, Petunia Dursley, and her husband, Vernon. I fear that if you are they will treat you harshly and cruelly for being my son and a wizard. Petunia was always jealous of magical folk, and that jealousy evolved into hatred._

_All of our possesions, properties, and the Potter Vault go to you._

The letter went on to detailing everything that was left in his possesion, and his parent's last thoughts.

Harry's face was blank, unsure of how to react to this information. On one hand he was happy that he his birth parents had cared about him, emacipated him, and left him thier possesions, but on the other hand he was furious at the betrayal of their supposed friend Peter resulting in his parents death, how Dumbledore purposely ignored his parents last wishes and placed him with the Dursleys resulting in his abuse, curious as to why he never even known he had a godfather, probabley because of Dumbles again. He was also wondering who the Longbottoms were, already having figured out that Remus was probably one of his parents friends.

All in all, he needed to figure out who ratted out the prophecy to Lord Voldemort and kill them just as he would Wormtail. The thought of killing again sent a rush of excitement through his veins. He folded up the will and replaced it into the envelope, placing it into his pocket. He decided to keep it, seeing as it was probably his parents last letter to him.

"I'd like to visit my vault and withdraw some money, goblin. The will emacipates me in the case I'm without a gaurdian, and Dumbledore is to be removed as my gaurdian since he ignored the will and my parents last wishes." He need money for new clothes and neccesitys, seeing as he only had a few and what clothes he did have that weren't on his back was Dudley's, and he most certainly didn't want to wear them ever again.

The goblin nodded, "It will be done, Mr. Subaku."

* * *

Following the goblin, Harry noticed that in contrast to the grand marble of the entryway and the main hall, the passageways to the vaults were carved from stone and were dimly lit with flaming torches, making him think of a cavern. They sloped down to into a track, upon which run little carts that, he concluded by watching one zoom past, were controlled by the goblins. The carts were to take visitors deep beneath the surface of the earth, through the 'maze of winding and twisting passages', and to their vaults.

He carefully seated himsulf onto the cart wih the goblin and moments later found himself flying at highspeeds down the track, turning right, left, up, down, and side to side. It was mildly disorienting but Harry found himself enjoying it. Glancing down into the darkness below he noticed a spiralling jet of flames rise up out of the darkness, and before he could turn his head, it was gone. They arrived at Vault 687, to which contained the small fortune his birth parents that was left for him. Upon the goblins instructions he placed his hand onto the seal with the Potter crest only for it to sink, his hand following until he felt a sharp pain stabbing his hand. Pulling it back he noticed there was a thin cut on his palm.

The vaults entrance slid open, revealing mounds of gold coins, columns of silver, and heaps of little bronze Knuts. He was awed, if the Dursleys knew what he had hidden beneath Gringotts they would have stolen it from him in a heartbeat, wizard money or not.

_"We would kill them before they could try, if they were still alive." _His Mother declared.

Harry smiled, relishing the thought that they were dead, before nodding.

"Is there anyway for me to have some type of card or bag connected to this vault? One that only I had access to so I won't have to return here every time I find myself without money?"

The goblin nodded, pulling out a black card with silver letterings and the Gringott's seal in the corner. "You can use this. All you need to do is place a drop of blood onto it, your blood, and it will be connected to your vault. It costs 8 Sickles and 12 Knuts, seeing as few wizards use these types of things." Harry nodded his affirmation, wondering why so much of the goblins procedures involved blood, probably because of their enjoyment of others pain, before doing what he was instructed and paying, using the blood that was still on his palm although the wound already healed because of Mother. His name appeared in red beside the Gringott's seal.

Harry gave his thanks and left, intent on finding what Mother thought he needed and checking out the Potter Manor once he was through. He wondered if the house elves were still alive, not likely with the time that has passed without having any masters. Such a shame it would be.

* * *

Harry's sleepy expression had returned as he went about his business, no one recognizing him as the Boy-Who-Lived with his dark reddish black hair and his scar hidden by his bangs.

He had gotten a couple of standard black and dark red robes, dragon hide gloves, and different copies of the outfit he was currently wearing. He had also bought common neccessitys and spell books he would need around the household, having put all his purchases in a magically enchanced bag with a feather charm on it that he bought. He didn't bother going to Ollivander's seeing as he wasn't allowed to have one of those wands until he was 12 and going off to Hogwarts, and they would have the trace on them halting his training with magic.

He'd still have to find some kind of wand or other weapon that could channel magic as Mother suggested he get started. Being reliant on one skill and ability was not good. He didn't want himself to end up in a situation where they could halt his sand and stop his wind. If his sand came into contact with fire or water it would turn into glass or be slowed down by the water, giving his opponent more oppurtunities to successfully attack him.

He was currently walking down Knockturn Alley's dark, narrow street, lowlifes staring at him for one reason or another. This alley was known to be filled with shops devoted to dark materials, questionable items, criminals, and peasants. Mother told him she sensed the prescence of a demon artefact, most likely a weapon inside one of the stores, which Mother said had an odd aura about it, fluctuationg madly. Walking further he suddenly felt a pull tugging on his mind, seeming to resonate from the shop with the sign that said _"Borgin and Burkes,"_ and etched beside the sign was an ad, 'Confidential valuation service for unusual and ancient wizarding artefacts, such as may have been inherited by the best wizarding families.'

_"In there, dear one." _Shukaku informed her child.

Harry nodded and approached the store, opening the door which subsequently jingled the bell up top to alert the prescence of a customer.

Harry scanned the dimly lit shop searching for the artifact and comitted every detail to memory. The walls were lined with, what would be to people other than him, frightening masks that seemed to leer down at him. There was a dusty stone fireplace at the far wall, ash and soot in it's pit. On one of the shelves was a glass case containing a curious withered hand on an embroidered cusion, a pack of cards appearing to be stained with blood, and a staring glass eye within a jar. An assortment of bones, most likely humans from the shape, were placed on the counter and rusty, spiked intstruments that appeared to be made for torture and execution hung from the ceiling. The windows were lined with dust so he couldn't clearly see the street behind the glass.

He felt another tug on his mind and felt his gaze being pulled to the demonic artifact hanging on the wall, nothing more than a simple decoration. The staffs apearance was fairly simple, thin and curving slighty at the top tip. Its color ranged from white to black, bottom to tip. The tip had a hawks face with it's beak open and an elven insignia on its forehead, and was about five feet long in length. He felt the aura hum madly, demanding the container of Shukaku to claim it.

He walked towards it and just as he was about to touch it he was alerted to the shopkeeper entering the room. He was old, dark gray sticking out of his oily hair.

"What do you want, boy? I ain't got no toys for you here, best if you leave before something... _bad_, happens to ya." He was grinning, showing clearly crooked teeth, when he said the word bad, most likely hoping for it, and his voice appeared to be as oily as his hair.

Harry merely turned to him, face emotionless, and regarded him with cold eyes, "Are you the owner of this staff? I wish to buy it." He gestured to the staff.

Borgin, the shopkeeper, nearly broke into sweat when the cold gaze landed onto him, but controlled himself and gazed suspiciously at him, "Why do you want it, kid? And even if it was for sale, what makes you think you have enough money to buy it?"

"I have enough to buy out this entire shop and leave you without a home so hurry it up and give me a_ reasonable_ price for it, lest I remove your head from your body and take it anyways." This was all said in a flat tone, leading Borgin to believe he wasn't kidding as an ominous prescence seemed to fill the shop, Harry's emerald eyes seeming to gain specks of demonic gold within them as he stared.

"34 Galleons and 12 Sickles and it's yours, kid." He quickly stated.

Harry raised an eyebrow slightly at the price, which was estimated to be around 350 dollars in muggle money, before complying. It was worth much more than that and he was lucky that Borgin didn't understand how valuable the object was or he'd may of had to kill him, or perhaps unlucky since he didn't mind killing somebody again.

He gave him the required amount before going over and unhooking the staff from the display, a jolt running through his fingers when he touched the the wood. It was lighter than he expected it to be and was taller than he was, if only by a foot, give or take a few inches. A pleased throbbing seemed to resonate from the wood, like a heartbeat, and he quickly left, eager to get to the Potter Manor and figure out how to work the staff.

* * *

Once he arrived at the Potter Manor he was astounded by the size of the large house. There was a library containing both muggle and magical books, ranging from spells, potions, muggle skills like carpentry and cooking, and novels. The kitchen was fairly big, and all the food that he expected to be there rotting seemed to have disappeared. He found the master bedroom, the greenhouse which was filled with both normal and magical plants and flowers, three bathrooms, and a living room with a large brick fireplace, a bowl of floo powder placed near it.

The furnishings consisted of the colors red, silver, black and green. The carpets and curtains were black, while the furniture such as the couches and chairs were a dark red. The tables and lamps were either black or silver. The bathrooms had silver bath curtains and dark green tiles paving the floor and walls. The manor was surround by wildlife, no clear path besides the gravel paved road so he wouldn't be bothered often.

It seemed the house elves were gone, the servants quarter seeming to have been recently abandoned which confused Harry. There was only a folded note with that, in sloppy, hasty writing said:

_Dear Master Harry,_

_Should you ever find this we lowly servants wish for you to know this. We have known you were alive but we weren't able to leave because of the old wizard named Dumbledore. He insisted you were fine as you were and sealed us here to keep us from retrieving you. We are deeply sorry Master, but the magic running through us is fading and we are dying. We only hope that you know that we were and still are forever loyal to you and your family. Goodbye, Young Master._

_The Potter House Elves  
_  
He wondered how they managed to survive that long, but after spending a small amount of time mulling it over he decided to give up for the time being, and instead asked Shukaku how to activate the staff.

_"The Mad Priest's Staff can only be used after you defeat Otar the Mad's spectre within your mind by summoning it through the elven insignia. You must channel magic into the insignia to summon it. It will not be an easy battle, and this one will not be able to assist you even though you can use your sand and wind abilities. Otar was known to be a Demon Priest, a powerful sorceror, during the Merethic Era, and he was the king of the elven kingdom Ragnvald. This one only knows that he can summon demons and create illusions, she has no idea what other abilities he had. Be careful." _Shukaku warned him.

_'Yes Mother, thank you.' _

Harry held the staff sitting cross-legged, studying the elven insignia before tracing it with his finger and channeling his magic through it. He jolted when he felt a prescence charge into his mind, tearing at the barriers that Shukaku always had up to protect him from the thought and memory seekers and sending Harry reeling into unconsciousness.

* * *

Opening eyes and groaning Harry raised himself up, confused as to why his mindscape didn't appear to be the usual desert habitat that was his Mother's home. The area was covered wih dark, rocky cliffs and the dark grey clouds above were swirling violently, sending gales of wind whistling through the canyon. The canyon seemed to stretch forever, the trench below being deep abyss, seeming like a black hole sucking out all light, disturbing Harry slightly. Harry could hardly hear anything with the wind roaring in his ears.

He suddenly felt the hair on the nape of his neck stand up as he heard a faint crackling sound. His **Suna no Tate** appeared, a shield of sand automatically surrounding him and blocking the powerful torrent of lightning that had been hurled at him. The sand shields surface exploded whenthe lightning impacted with it, blocking Harry's view for a moment and hurling him into the air towards the abyss when he landed onto a floating platform of sand that caught him.

When his vision cleared and he stood back up, he saw it. The perpetrator was a figure levitating a foot or so of the ground, wrapped in tattered robes, like those he saw in one of the magical books detailing Dementors, except it was faded blue, near gray, in color, and sticking tightly to it's frame. It had no sleeves and the hood was replaced by a dirty golden metal mask, the eyeholes revealing frosty blue glowing orbs. The unsleeved arms appeared rotten, wrinkled, and dead, like a skeleton with dark gray skin latched on to it and the feet that peeked out beneath the robes appeared the same.

The wraith let out a cackle before speaking something in a language unknown, most likely elvish, and sounded mocking. Otar's spectre hurled another bolt of lightning at him, and Harry quickly manipulated his sand to bring him out of harms way and used it to return himself to the ground. Lightning whizzed past his ear at an alarming speed, the bolt just barely avoided.

He jumped off of his sand and rolled onto the floor, avoiding a large spike of earth Otar sent his way before calling out, **"Suna Shuriken!" **And hurling the giant four-pointed shuriken made of sand with frightening speed at the wraith, impacting with it's arm which was preparing another bolt of lightning. The wraith roared in agony, shadow blood spewing from it's stump of an arm as the shuriken brutally tore it off without actually cutting it, seeing as it was made for blunt wounds.

Otar furiously summoned a large demonic dog, about as big as a bear with patches of skin ripped away and splotches of blood and purple growths on it's skin, as if some kind of disease tore at it's flesh. Fire had covered its paws and it had a long serpentine tongue that shot out and impaled Harry in the shoulder, breaking some of his **Suna no Yoroi** and causing cracks to appear on his skin as if he was made of clay or glass, too quick for his sand to block it. Harry cried out in pain as the tongue retracted, bringing him with it and closer to the demon hound's awaiting maw.

"You damn mutt!" Harry snarled, using his sand to from a blade as he soared through the air towards the dog, whose red eyes had widened but was unable to avoid it at the speed he was going. Harry cleaved the dog's head off, slicing cleanly through the bone and sending it rolling off the cliff before his senses told him to dodge, a large earth spike covered in lightning impaling the spot he was just in. He glared at the wraith and threw his outstretched hand up, the sand obeying and rushing towards the spectre. The Otar's spectre dodged the first wave, flew over the second, and was slammed into the ground by the third, sand rushing to crush him.

Harry grinned, "Got you now, bastard." He clenched his hand. **"****Sabaku Sōsō."** But instead of seeing black blood spew from the spectre's body he faded from view, cackling. Harry whirled around, confused, until remembering what his Mother warned him about.

_"This one only knows that he can summon demons and create illusions, she has no idea what other abilities he had. Be careful." _

Damn it! The thing he was fighting the whole time was an illusion? No, it must have been after he had removed his arm and fighting that stupid mutt, bloody bastard! He wanted him to waste energy fighting a fake!

Harry ran, the wound in his shoulder already healing, searching every corner of the canyon for the spectre but found no trace of him, not even the black blood that would surely be dripping from his stump. He searched again and again until the only place left was the unsettling abyss. He peered into it, wondering if it was really worth it.

_Is it, Mother? _He asked.

Silence.

Recieving no answer he panicked. Where was Mother? Was she sleeping? Had she left him? Abandoned him tp fight alone? Where had she gone?

_Mother! Mother! Please, answer me, Mother!_ He begged, terrified at being abandoned by the only one that he thought loved him.

_ "This one will not be able to assist you." _Suddenly remembering his Mother's words he wondered if this was what she meant. Did this thing block off his contact to Mother? He was still able to use his sand, so that meant she was still here. He was ashamed of himself for panicking and showing such an emotion such as fear and sorrow. He just hoped that was the reason he couldn't hear her.

_I'll have to rely on myself, I don't have Mother to guide me... _

Harry took a deep breath, and lept into the abyss, sand trailing after him so as to stop him from impacting with whatever bottom there was to it.

* * *

Harry grunted, hitting the abyss' bottom, the sand beneath him absorbing the impact. He had fallen for over fifteen minutes, and he could see nothing but darkness. His pupils dilated in an attempt to adjust to the darkness and he stayed motionless, ears straining to catch the sound of his enemy. Slowly, after a few minutes had past he was able to make out the rattling breath of something approaching his position.

Silently shifting his body towards the source he immediately noticed two menacing blue orbs glowing, and he quickly lifted his hand and his sand shot out, impacting with the wraith who was making the noise and cutting it off. He heard a thump before a crackling blue light impacted with his body, hurling him further into the darkness and revealing the walls of the abyss, his enemy's eyes lit up in glee with the irritating spells light.

He hit the abyss' wall and slid down it, his flesh burnt and electricity sparking over his torso, where a large smoking hole was in his shirt revealing his wounds. Groaning his sand managed to intercept the next lightning bolt before it came near him and he stood, shakily at first, before bolting off to the side, hurling **Suna Shuriken **at his opponent. Only one impacted with the wraith, catching him near the waist and sending him sprawling onto the floor as he screeched angrily, blue orbs never leaving Harry's form even in the darkness.

Harry quickly sent his hand in hopes to capture the wraith to which it quickly dodged, it's spectral form vanishing in a haze of spiralling tendrils of faded purple and reappearing in front of Harry, startling him before he was sent flying, impaled with a conjured spike of earth, pinning him to the wall. Saliva flew from his mouth as he quickly bit his tongue to stop himself from screaming at the searing pain, his body growing heavy. He panted heavily as his sand intercepted the wraith's projectiles and he slowly and painfully pushed himself of the spike, blood gushing from around the edges before falling to the ground, barely catching himself.

Harry spoke two words, his breath raspy from pain, and his hands outstretched, **"Sabaku Rō..." **Massive amounts of sand formed, rushing towards the wraith in large tidal waves and slamming it into the wall, incasing him in sand from head to toe.

"I'm going to finish you! I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO ESCAPE ME _AGAIN_!** Sabaku Taisō!**" He slammed his palms face down onto the sand connected to the wraith, creating a shockwave which rocked the abyss' walls and causing them to tremble with a minor earthquake. The sand constricted and crushed everything beneath it, killing the wraith. Harry panted heavily, having used up much of his energy in the last two techniques. He mentally commanded the sand to recede so as to make sure the wraith was dead. Once it had he walked towards the motionless body that slid down from the wall limply once his sand retreated. The two glowing orbs were extinguished, and the robes and skin melted away into fading ashes, leaving the skeleton behind. The dirty golden mask that was attached to it's skull dropped, clattering onto the ground.

Harry grinned victoriously, relieved that he survived the battle with Otar's spectre, and collapsed, thouroughly exhausted. His eyes began to droop in unwilling unconsciousness.

_I did it, Mother. I did it... _He hoped his mother was proud, he truly did, as his world faded to black, his mind for once forgoing nightmares and slipping into the blissful embrace of darkness.

* * *

When Harry came to he felt his head in someone's lap, a soft one at that. Blinking blearily he tried opening his eyes only to be blinded by sunlight, soft wind carresing him.

_"Do not worry, little one, for it is Mother."_

Hearing that Harry quickly sat up and stared at Shukaku with unreadable eyes. Shukaku looked up suprised and worried.

_"What is wrong, dear one? Are you in any pain?"_

Harry's mouth moved, whispering words so softly that even Shukaku's demonically enchanced hearing couldn't catch.

_"...What?" _Tears had fallen from Harry's eyes. He threw himself at her, latching her into a hug as he cried quietly. Shukaku was startled by the sudden display of affection, and even more so with Harry crying like the child he was into her dress.

"Don't leave me, please don't ever leave me! I thought you were gone! I couldn't hear you! I don't want you to disappear, I wouldn't be able to live without you! I love you, Mother! Your the only one-" He was broken out of his ramblings when soft lips graced his forehead. He looked up, tears staining his cheeks as Shukaku smiled.

_"Silly boy, Mother would never leave you. She loves you just as you love her, and it would break her for you to die. She's proud of you."_ Harry's eyes watered again as he was embraced by Shukaku. If it weren't for the obvious differences in appearances, anyone who was looking on would have thought them to be mother and son.

* * *

**AN:** I'm tired. How'd you like it? Did you enjoy it or did I dissapoint you (_I hope I didn't dissapoint, I've got a low enough self-confidence already_)? Reviews are apprecitated, espicially the ones that could tell me how I can improve. I spent about 13 hours on this, on and off for the past two days. I edited the first chapter too, removing a few errors and the like.

Remember too check out the polls please, one for Harry's familiar (_not magical, choose either raccoon, sand viper, or red-tailed hawk, you'll have to tell me in reviews sense there can only be one poll on my profile at a time_), and what house Harry will be in (Hufflepuff not included, I just can't picture him there, sorry). I probably won't start on the third chapter anytime soon though. I've been feeling ill for the past three days. Posted exactly who Otar the Mad is below, along with the details and definitions of the Mad Priest's Staff, Vitae Stipe, and Harry's jutsu _(techniques_).

**Definitions and Descriptions/ Biographies and Details:**

Otar the Mad -  
Otar was an acient wood elf king and sorceror who ruled over Ragnvald (located within the far reaches of the Forbidden Forest) in the Merethic Era (Mythic Era). Initially, he was believed to have been a fair ruler and successful in battle, but his mingling with Forbidden Arts (Necromany, Demonic/Blood Magic) caused him to be corrupted by the demons he controlled, turning him to insanity. The demon's that plagued him gave him a staff, which has become known in hell as the Mad Priest's Staff. Otar became a Demon Priest and subjected his people to great cruelty until two elven wizards named Saerek and Torsten were sent to stop his tyranny. They couldn't defeat Otar, so instead they sealed him in a large sarcophagus in Ragnvald and locked it with two bone keys that each of them kept. They pledged to guard the keys so that Otar may never escape his inprisonment, unaware that a spectre of him was locked into the staff when Saerek claimed it as a trophy. The city of Ragnvald was eventually abandoned, but Saerek and Torsten remained as his prisons guardians. Saerek, however, was pleaded by his brother Farek to leave with him. Saerek refused to leave, but gave to him Otar's staff to remember him by.

The Mad Priest's Staff -  
In came into the hands of Caractacus Burke when the last descendent of Farek was murdered by Death Eaters when she refused to make him a wand of the Vitae Stipe (Life Branch). They were unable to figure out how to unlock the staff's potential and so sold it to Caractacus, who passed on mysteriously and so left it to Borgin. The staffs apearance is fairly simple, thin and curving slighty at the tip. It color ranges from white to black, bottom to tip. The tip has a birds face with it's beak open and an elven insignia on it forehead. It's about five feet long in length. The wood is made from the elves Vitae Stipe, which can be the densest and most durable tree in the world depending on age and how well they're taken care of. It's magical properties include strengthening the users wind and earth elements and his control over them, summoning lesser demons, illusions, and charms.

Vitae Stipe -  
They were once found in masses in the Forbidden Forest, though with the elves gone they were left unattended to and so died out, becoming extinct. Depending on how durable the Vitae Stipe is the wood can be as strong and hard as adamantine. If the Vitae Stipe is young then the wood could be snapped as easy as iron and burn as normal wood could. The Mad Priest's Staff is made up of one of the strongest and oldest Vitae Stipe, being made for the former elven king Otar.

**Sabaku Fuyū (Desert Suspension)- **SUPPLEMENTARY  
Using his sand as a platform, Harry is able to float in the air.

**Suna no Tate (Shield Of Sand)-** DEFENSE  
This jutsu causes sand to automatically surround and protect Harry from harm, even if it's self-inflicted. The shield is capable of withstanding considerably strong attacks and projectiles, and can be hardened to a point where it's stronger than steel. It can be defeated by avoiding it completely with extremely high-speed attacks, or merely overcoming the shield with incredible brute force.

**Suna no Yoroi (Armor of Sand)- **DEFENSE Using this jutsu, Harry can cover himself in a compacted layer of sand, providing an additional defense should his Shield of Sand fail. Though quite effective, maintaining the armor requires a large amount of stamina. Furthermore, it is nowhere as resilient as the Shield of Sand, since it easily breaks away upon impact, meaning that the sole purpose of the armor is to absorb impact channeled unto Harry's body during battle.

**Sabaku Kyū (Sand Binding Coffin)-** OFFENSE  
With his ability to control sand, Harry encases his opponents in a large amount of sand, immobilizing them. It can be used to suffocate an opponent or in preparation for a deadlier technique, the Imploding Sand Funeral.

**Sabaku Sōsō (Imploding Sand Funeral)-** OFFENSE  
After wrapping an opponent with sand, Harry will cause the sand to implode and crush whatever is within. When used to kill a person, the death is so quick that there isn't even time to feel pain. The pressure also produces a sizable fountain of blood. Harry can control the pressure used in the attack, which allows him to merely break bones or completely liquefy an opponent.

**Sabaku Rō (Sandstorm Coffin)- **OFFENSE  
Harry uses an enormous quantity of sand to completely envelop the target from every direction and capture them. The speed, hardness, and scope of the sand depend on the amount of magic poured into it. This allows Harry to fine-tune the sand's properties to the size and characteristics of the target. No matter if the target is on the ground or flying in the air, it is almost impossible to escape from this technique. However, even if someone successfully escapes from it, Harry can easily use one of his offensive techniques, like the Sand Binding Coffin, to immediately attack the target.

**Sabaku** **Taisō (Sand Waterfall Imperial Funeral)- **OFFENSE  
Following the Sand Tsunami, Harry slams both hands palm down into the sand, creating powerful shock waves that compress the sand. Anything buried in the sand is subsequently crushed. The compressions also creates massive earthquakes.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** I don't have any of the books yet (_except for Goblet of Fire_) but I have read them so once I get them I'll start on the next chapter with Harry going to Hogwarts. Also I'm going to start updating at random, I won't abandon this story _ever_, it just might take a while to finish.

Harry is_ nine _right now, so he does have some childishness left in him, which would explain some acts of childishness or why he wouldn't know or think things through as well as an adult would. The things that make him different from a child is that he likes killing and torturing people, and he had to grow up faster than_ most _from abuse and neglect. He's still a child though, so such things are expected if you think it's odd. Him still being a child is why he so easily trusted Shukaku and accepted her as a Mother since he always yearned for one. He feel she's the only one he can truly trust.

No beta.

Warning: _Intense Violence (Torture and Gore). Read at your own risk._

* * *

Chapter Three

The Grim and the Serpent

Harry trained for over three weeks, attempting to learn how to control the Mad Staff and it's many abilities. Using the spell books he bought he learned how to cast most of the first year spells that were to be learned at Hogwarts, although he was no where near being able to cast them silently or wandlessly yet, and they lacked some power, which irked him but he understood since Mother told him it was no good to rush into things. He was currently reading the second year spell book in his free time so that once he finished mastering the first year spells he could immediately start on learning the spells he'd read.

He was sitting in the Potter Manor's dining room, nibbling on a piece of toast while he read the second year book, when an annoying tapping noise drew his gaze to the window situated over the sink, the curtains blocking his view of whatever was making that damnable sound. Getting up, not bothering to put his toast down, he pushed the curtains to the side, revealing a copper owl with a rolled up newspaper in it's talons. It's large golden eyes bored into the window, staring at him.

Harry cocked his head, wondering how it found him and how it knew someone was living within the manor. It annoyed and concerned him that a... _delivery bird _found him so easily. The bird seemed to become angered when Harry was swept into his thoughts and began to tap the glass with it's beak again, demanding him to open it. Harry glared at the insufferable bird and found it inconveniant that he had yet to learn any fire-based spells, he was wondering what fried owl would taste like. He opened the window, if nothing more than to stop the bothersome noise. He quickly grasped the birds neck when it hopped down onto the faucet and snapped it before it had anytime to realize what was happening.

Grinning, Harry took the rolled up newspaper and threw the bird's limp corpse outside, where it vanished into the bushes near the manor. He shut the window and covered it with the curtains again before washing his hands and going back to the table to sit down. Taking a bite out of his toast he opened the parchment, which was dubbed the 'Daily Prophet'. He was slightly startled at the headline.

**SIRIUS BLACK ESCAPES AZKABAN!**

Article by Rita Skeeter

_Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, actually escaped the previously thought inescapable fortress soon after it was declared the Boy-Who-Lived, the Wizarding World's Savior and the only one to survive the Killing Curse, was missing. We had not known that our hero was missing until Black escaped prison, which the Ministry presumed it was to be to take advantage of our saviors disappearance.  
__  
T__he Ministry of Magic confirmed it today.  
"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and to find and return Harry Potter safely. We beg the magical community to remain calm and have faith that they are in very capable and safe hands."_

_Fudge has been criticised by some members of the International Confederance of Wizards for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis._  
_"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge._  
_"Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it - who'd believe him if he did?"_  
_While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand in the shape of an 'L' that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse._

_It's rumored that he may be searching for Harry Potter after his disappearance, which he had somehow learned within Azkaban.  
The gaurds heard him mumbling about the Boy-Who-Lived and that he needed to find him when Black was asleep.  
We at the Daily Prophet pray that this is not the case and that Sirius will be apprehended soon before he can find the Boy-Who-Lived, wherever he is._

There was more information and other nonsense in the other pages, but Harry ignored that in favor of dwelling in his thoughts.

_So my Godfather was in prison? Dumbledore allowed the fools to blame him, just like I predicted. I do wonder if he actually killed thirteen people, though I don't give a damn if he did, seeing as I'm a willing murderer. _A grin claimed his lips. _Actually, it would be great if he did, and if he didn't, then I'm sure he's absolutely _livid_ with Dumbles for his betrayal, _his grin suddenly disappeared, _but if he _isn't_, then there's no point in trying to have him come to _my_ side. I don't want to have any sort of contact with a sheep of the 'light'. _

If he still trusted Dumbledore then there was no way in hell Harry could trust him, and then there was the matter of him recognizing him as Harry Potter. _Maybe he would believe with the scar? No, I guess I should see if there's one of those 'pensieve' things here. From what I read they show memories, or store them._

He wondered what his Mother thought he should do._ Should I look for him, Mother?_

_"Not yet. We have no idea where his location is, or how he would react since he doesn't know who you are. He could attempt to obliviate you. We'll have to take precautions before even attempting to find him." _Shukaku answered.

_Very well. _He mentally responded.

Flipping one of the pages of the newspaper he saw Albus Dumbledore, famed 'Leader of the Light' and his pheonix Fawkes. Having not seen him before he decided he looked ridiculous.

"That's what he looks like? Ha! His beards long enough to tie someone up!" _Not to mention he has no fashion sense._ Harry burst into snickers when he thought of Dumbledore tying Lord Voldemort up with his beard, forgoing using a body binding spell. _I wonder if it's natural or magically enchanced..._

Harry took a long look at the pheonix, which was titled as Dumble's familiar. _I kinda_ feel_ sorry for burning chicken... _

Familiars... maybe he should get one? It might prove favorable, seeing as Dumbledore used his familiar to teleport and other things like that.

_"You should get one."_

Harry was startled out of his thoughts by Shukaku. _Mother?_

_"You should get one for a companion. Familiars are loyal and when bonded with magic they could become quite useful, seeing as they'll never betray you or obey another unless you command it. You'd be able to communicate with them as well."_

Harry considered his Mother's words for a moment before agreeing, not like he would _ever_ go against his beloved Mother. Tomorrow he would go to Diagon Alley's _Magical Menagerie _to see if he could find a suitable animal to be his familiar.

* * *

Walking down the slightly crowded streets he made his way to the entrance of_ Magical Menagerie_. He could see cages and aquariums on every shelf, pinned to the walls and even placed on the floor from lack of room. It was noisy, hundreds of different animal species calling until he went through the door, falling eerily silent. The shopkeeper looked incredulous from the animals sudden startling silence. They were never quiet, not even at night. She glanced up at the boy who approached the counter, tearing her gaze from the many animals quietly gazing at him.

"I'd like to look around for a companion. Will you allow me?"

She nodded, before asking, "Where are your parents, though? Shouldn't you be accompanied by them?"

"They're dead. I'm considered an adult from emancipation."

The shopkeeper insincerely apologized and Harry waved it off, stating that it didn't bother him_ anymore._

Walkin down the narrow aisles, Harry thought he could faintly hear people's voices, but Mother assured him that him and the shopkeeper were the only ones within the store.

_Going insane then, perhaps... _

The voices grew louder as he approached the reptiles, lizards, small alligators, turtles and other scaled beasties. The ones that stuck out the most were the snakes, from which he heard the voices.

_"Oh, look, a two-legged this way comes."_ A dark green adder hissed, it's tone exasperated.

_"Ha! Come to gawk at us boy?"_ A large anaconda spoke in amusement, turning it's head to the side and leering at him with yellow eyes.

_"You so much as touch that glass and you'll find your bloodstream filled with toxin!"_

_"Will you be quiet? It's not like the humans can hear us."_ A female voice spoke up behind him. Turning he looked into an aquarium that had a rocky habitat, and withing was a large viper, around ninety-five centimeters in length. It was a a light 'dirty cream' in color and dorsal zigzag patterns that were darker than the base color ran along it's back. It had a horn right above it's nose which he suspected to be softer and more flexible than it appeared to be. Her belly was pinkish, clouded by dark spots. Her eyes were a deep shade of gold and were staring straight at Harry.

He blinked. _"I don't think I'm suppose to understand what snakes are saying..."_

_"It seems your a parselmouth, dear one. How intriguing." _Shukaku said.

Before Harry could reply he was interrupted with many hisses, coming from the snakes.

_"A speaker! He's a speaker!"_

_"Let me out two-legged!" _Came from the anaconda and the one that threatened to bite him.

Harry attempted to ignore their suprisingly loud hisses before he snapped. _"Shut... UP!"_

Suprisingly the shopkeeper hadn't hear anything, reading the wizardly magazine at the counter as the animal calls began again.

The viper he had been looking at gazed at him appraisingly after the snakes ceased their hissed demands, eyes filled with curiousity. She was the one of the few he didn't join in on the hissing. _"It's an honor, speaker. I apologize for my kin's rudeness, they don't tend to show manners to anyone other than our own kind."_

Harry blinked, suprised by the politeness of the reptile, before replying, _"It's nothing. I'm used to worse from my... _deceased_, relatives. Anyways, what's a speaker?"_

The snake surveyed his sudden smirk in curiousity before answering. _"A speaker is what you two-leggeds call a 'parselmouth'. Humans don't really react well to speakers because speakers are usually dark wizards, like the boy Tom Riddle, who's now known as Voldemort, and Salazar Slytherin. They fear speakers and claim they are dark lords in the making."_

Harry wasn't suprised by the Wizarding World's fear of parselmouth, they were, after all, a bunch of fools, however he was suprised at hearing Voldemort's original name.

_"Hm, so I guess I should keep my ability under the wraps, for now. May I know what your name is, viper? Mine is Harry Subaku, formerly Harry Potter." _Harry was curious about the snake after all. He thought she looked cool with the nose horn too, and the fact she was polite was an added bonus. She would probably frighten normal peop- no,- wizards.

The snake considered the question for a moment before nodding. _"My name is Sylvanus. I am an ordinary sand viper, not a magical one."_

Harry nodded, before asking his mother something.

_Is she acceptable to be my companion, Mother?_

_"Yes, dear one, she is."_

_Very well, I'll ask her to be mine._

Harry took a deep breath, noticing that Sylvanus was still gazing at him, and asked, _"Would you be my familiar, Sylvanus? It would be an honor to me to be your companion."_

Sylvanus looked shocked, it was an honor to be selected by a speaker, let alone be chosen as their familiar. Her jaw was a bit unhinged, which Harry found to be a bit comical._ "Yes! I-I mean, yes, I would be honored to be your familiar, speaker."_

_"Excellent! I will go speak to the shopkeeper now to get you out of this aquarium so I can show you my home and do the ritual." _Sylvanus nodded happily, eager to get out of her glass cage.

Harry proceeded to walk off towards the counter, and tapped it to get the attention of the witch reading the magazine.

"I'd like to buy the sand viper in the reptiles section, the female one."

"A snake? Are you sure? Sand vipers are known to be poisonous, and might not take well to being handled by anyone." The witch looked concerned, but Harry waved it off, nodding. She was only concerned she'd get sued and that his liking to a snake set her off, but hey, money's money.

"Alright then, if that's really what you want kid." Harry returned to Sylvanus, the shopkeeper following. The shopkeeper carefully lifted up the top to the container, and was about to use a handling stick to put her into another smaller aquarium when Harry raised his hand to stop her.

"That's not needed, I don't need the aquarium and I don't think she'll appreciate it to be taken out of that one just to be put in a smaller one."

The shopkeeper looked at him like he was insane, which he was, but relented, allowing him to walk up to it. Harry leaned up and reached inside to gently grab Sylvanus, careful not to touch or grasp her in a spot that would upset her and possible get him snapped at. The shopkeeper looked on uneasily, questioning the boy's insanity when he draped Sylvanus over his neck, the viper hissing happily at her new master. They returned to the counter and he gave her the required amount for the viper and left.

Harry didn't bother hiding Sylvanus even when the passerbys stared at him fearfully, wondering if he was a follower of the dark lord or one rising. Harry scoffed at their stupidity and subtly hissed to Sylvanus, _"These fools get stupider every day, don't they?"_

Sylvanus nodded, agreeing with her master before saying, _"They wouldn't care if you were the child of a noble family, even if you are, Master. It proves that people 'fear what they do not understand.' Am I right, Master?"_

_"Yes, your absolutely right, Sylvanus."_

Their leisurely walk was interrupted when they came upon a large, skinny black shaggy dog that greatly reminded Harry of the grim in those useless fortune-telling books. Harry blinked once he focused on it's form, realizing that it had a particulary large magical core. _An animagus? Or some kind of magical animal?_

The dog barked at Harry, and Harry spoke to it, "You need something to eat, boy?" Normally he would ignore a hungry animal, but he was curious about this one since he expected it to be a wizard in disguise. The dog nodded, confirming that it was either an animagus or an extremely intelligent mutt. Harry turned to a restaurant, not before glancing back at the dog and giving instructions. "Wait outside this restaurant then, and I'll bring back some food for you, okay boy?"

The dog nodded once again and obeyed, sitting down outside the restaurant. Harry purchased some steak, pork chops, and a large chicken thigh, seeing as the dog looked greatly malnourished. He walked outside and into a secluded alley, sitting down on the ground while the dog eyed Sylvanus, Sylvanus doing the same.

"Here you go, boy... you are a boy, right?" The dog once again nodded, not seeming to consider that it was strange for a dog to be so intelligent. Harry threw the meat towards the dog, the canine catching the steak in his mouth and chomping down on it.

"Your smarter than normal dogs, aren't ya? I wonder why you look like skin and bones..." The dog blinked, as if suddenly realizing it wasn't acting like it should, but nodded anyways. Harry sat in silence for while as the dog muched on the food like it was rabid. Harry paused, getting an idea, before taking out something from the brown satchel he had wrapped around his shoulder and hanging at his waist.

"Have you seen this man?" He lifted up the Daily Prophet that he read yesterday with the picture of Sirius on it. Maybe the dog would have seen his godfather? The dog growled, teeth bared, angering Hary although he didn't show it. He would have to kill the mutt if he hated Sirius, but not until he figured out who he was if he was a wizard.

"Whoa boy, do you not like Sirius?" The dog stopped growling, confused. He thought that Harry would have wanted to capture Sirius. Maybe he did but was just suprised that the dog growled at him? He shook his head, answering Harry's question. Harry grinned.

"Good, if you did hate Sirius I would have killed you. I'd rather not have anyone or _anything_ hurt my godfather until I meet him and form my opinion of him." The dogs eyes widened, confused and shocked as to how Harry was Sirius' godchild and how Harry would have attempted to kill him. Harry lifted up his bangs to show his lightining bolt scar.

"You know how everyone's saying how I went missing? Well it was because someone helped me escape from my abusive relatives, someone who I now consider my Mother. She changed how I looked so Dumbledore couldn't find me. Dumbledore placed me there and blamed Sirius for Voldemort finding my parents instead of Peter, who was the traitor, which I read in the will. If you tell anyone that I don't... _trust _about this, I'll kill you."

The large black canine was stumped. He quickly walked up to Harry and bit his shirt, shocking him and dragged him out of the alley. He let go and motioned for Harry to follow, running slowly enough for Harry to keep him in sight.

"Wait! Do you know where he is?" The dog didn't give any sign of answering, _stupid mutt!_ And continued running until they came upon an abandoned building, the windows barred shut and the door boarded up. The canine went around the back and into a large hole, big enough for him and Harry to crawl through. The dog glanced up at Harry, who was panting, before leaping into the hole.

"Wait!" The dog didn't return. "Damn it..." Sylvanus glanced up at her Master, a bit worse for wear having to hang on tightly to Harry when he chased after the dog. Harry seemed to be considering going in after him, so she gave him a word of warning, _"Be careful, Master. We do not know what tricks are up his sleeves."_

_"Your familiar is right, dear one. We do not know how strong he is or if their are more within. He could be stronger than Otar, but he would surely be weakened with the state we saw him in."_

Harry nodded, before cautiously climbing into the hole. Once he was inside he was immediately aware of a wand pointed at his face and paused, his sand subtly activating in his **Suna no Tate** to decrease the damage of any spells the shadowed man could send at him. Once he took his eyes away from the wand he glance up at him, shocked to see that it was his _godfather's_ face. He was guessing that Sirius had yet to believe he was his godchild. Sylvanus hissed at Sirius for pointing the wand at Harry and coiled up slightly, preparing to strike at a moments notice.

"Who the hell are you and where's Harry? Last I saw Harry he was supposed to have black hair, not dark red hair and a tatoo, or a _mother!"_

"I can prove it! I have the Potter house ring and I'm able to wear it, and there's a pensieve at the Potter Manor where I can show you my memories." Harry was annoyed and a bit frustrated at being held at wand-point. While his armor could up against a lot of spells powerful ones were enough to damage the armor and hurt him. He'd rather not have his face messed up.

"How can I trust you?" Harry paused, considering the question, before answering with a smirk, "'Cause I could have killed you like I killed the Dursley's with Mother's power." Sand rose up and snatched the wand at Sirius' shock at him killing the Dursley's. Harry raised his hand, and there, on his middle finger, was the Potter Ring.

"Believe me now, Sirius?" Sirius nodded dumbly. "Now for the most important question: do you still trust Dumbledore?"

Sirius' eyes darkened, "No, the bloody bastard _sent_ me to _Azkaban!_ I didn't even get a bloody trial and he _sent you_ to the Dursleys and from what I seen of them I knew thew would have neglected you, I just didn't think they would sink as far as to _abuse_ you." He snarled the last bit out.

"If you had the chance would you kill Dumbledore for what he's done to you? To me?" The smirk was widening, becoming bloodthirsty.

"Of course. I had to suffer in a cell surrounded by dementors! I had to piss and shit in a bucket! And the worst of it all is that I couldn't keep you away from the Dursley's or uphold Lily and James last wishes. I would have killed the Dursley's if you already hadn't."

"Well then, I know I can trust you, but is it really true that you killed thirteen people?" Harry asked, hoping that it was.

"No, that was Peter. He cut off his finger before turning into a rat, he's an animagus too, and made it look like I murdered them all." He noticed Harry deflate a bit. "Why?"

Harry hesitated. "Would it bother you if I liked killing people?"

Sirius looked shocked and subconsciously inched a bit away from Harry. He still had morals, and although he didn't mind killing, he didn't like doing it for fun. Noticing that Harry didn't take well to his reaction he hastily said, "To be honest, yes, it would, but seeing as your my godchild and I love you, I'll deal with it. I won't try to stop you as long as you don't _tell_ me you've killed someone for fun. I won't try to stop you."

Harry nodded, frowning. He was hoping that Sirius would share his ideals but he could deal with this. At least he had another person loyal to him that he could trust, seeing as he sensed no lies. Sirius saw him frown and walked up to him, wrapping his arms around him and giving him a fatherly hug. Harry, shocked, pushed him away.

"No hugs... seriously. I'm not the lovey-dovey type who likes affection."

Sirius grinned mischeviously, "Alright then, I'll only do_ lovey-dovey_ stuff when I want to annoy you."

Harry glared.

* * *

Marjorie 'Marge' Dursley weeped, pudgy hands covering her face as she looked at her newly deceased family within the opened coffins, yet to be buried. There wasn't much of them, not really, and what little there was were placed within bloody sheets. They were murdred and Petunia's bastard of a nephew was missing. He must have done it, he had to have been the one to kill them, that ungrateful brat! He would pay!

Her precious little angel Dudley was dead, along with her brother and sister-in-law. Who had she left but her faithful bulldogs?

Ripper, her favorite bulldog, howled along with her. The few people attending the funeral besides her were the ones who set it up, not even Dudley's former gang came to pay their respects, and they glared furiously at her and her little angel before leaving when she said she refused to shut him up, saying that he was mourning too. Fat tears rolled down her chubby cheeks as she sobbed, not noticing the shadows dance along the walls.

Marge and Ripper paused, Marge sniffling, when they heard it, the soft sound of sand falling onto the floor. Ripper barked, frightened and she whirled around, "Who's there?"

Nobody answered. The shadows had stopped dancing before she could see them, and the sound disappeared. Marge glanced around suspiciously, confused. There was no noticeable sand anywhere within the funeral hall. She jumped when she heard hissing, and whirled back around. There, laying within Vernon's coffin with what little of his remains were there, was a snake. It was leering at here, golden eyes locked onto hers and fangs bared.

She screamed and Ripper howled, fleeing only for sand to capture the viscious bulldog in a cocoon. The dog howled all the more.

"Rippy! Let go oh him, damn you! _Help!_ Somebody _help me!"_ She hobbled towards the sand, her screams and pleas for help unheard, not that she knew. The snake struck, fangs digging into her hand and she yelped in pain, it injecting toxic venom into her, before Marge began flailing her hand in an attempt to get it to remove itself from her. The snake coiled around her arm painfully, cutting of the blood flow. Marge attempted to pry it from her arm when the sand containing Ripper, whose howls were muffled, exploded, splattering her with the bulldog's blood. She gaped in horror.

"_Rippy!_ No, no, _n__o!_ Damn you! I'll kill you! I'll _kill_ you!"

"If anyones killing anyone, it'll be _me_, _Auntie_ Marge_~"_

Marge stiffened, her eyes landing on the figure that had somehow gone unnoticed, standing by the deceased Dursley's coffins. Emerald eyes met her own, glinting mischeviously. Harry, her _nephew, _grinned at her amused.

"Hello there, Margie. I must say I am sorry, I feel terrible about Uncle Verny and Petunie _dying_." Harry paused, "Well,_ not_ really. The only thing I feel terrible about is not causing them _even more_ pain." He smirked as Marge's face turned to pure loathing.

"You! You little_ devil!_ You'll pay for this, you hea-" Sand gagged her, muffling her speech. Her eyes went wide as it seemed to slither around her form, binding her. Sylvanus detached herself from her arm, having injected enough poison that Marge's hand throbbed in pain, discolored and swelling from the toxin that was placed in her system. Marge moaned in pain and would have fallen over if not for Harry's sand keeping her up.

_"Good girl, Sylvanus." _He praised.

_"Thank you, Master." _Sylvanus seemed to enjoy the praise, hissing happily.

"So Margie, how ya doin'? We never really got to _bond_ before, you know, so why don't we try that?"

Marge furiously shook her head, and Harry ignored her refusal.

"Yes? _Excellent!_ Will have such fun together, you and I!" He cackled as Marge fearfully tried to scream, pleading for him to not kill her. No one could hear her muffles from the spell he asked Sirius to cast, who had accompanied him here. He didn't want to join in though, and asked Harry not to tell him about his victim's death. Sirius did, however, think that Marge deserved this, so he didn't interfere.

"Let's get started then!"

* * *

Firefighters and police quickly tried to put out the fires within Privet Drive, which had lit up somehow at the same time. Fires danced along the funeral home and the Dursley's, along with others which were Piers', Dennis', Gordon's, Malcolm's and Ms. Figgs.

Their bodies were found mangled and burned beyond recognition in the morning, and the police confirmed that they were killed before the fires sprung out. Someone had obviously murdered them and removed whatever evidence with arsony. The only evidence they could find from any corpse was from the one which they presumed to be was Marge, who had traces of toxin within her bloodstream.

Ms. Figgs cats were also killed, and one was missing, confusing the investigators who now concluded that the murderer may have hated cats, or at least, Ms. Figgs'.

The culprit had yet to be found and Privet Drive had been plagued with fear at the recent murders, fearing for the lives of their friends, families, and themselves.

* * *

Within the Potter Manor Harry whistled happily, throwing his bloodied and ash and soot-covered clothes into the washer as Sirius cheered, Sylvanus having swallowed Mr. Tibbles whole.

"Take that, you damned feline! Haha_ha! _Dogs rule!"

* * *

**AN:** Is the ending funny? I don't really think so but it might be. Not really good on humour, so I wasn't really going for it.

**Poll's closed, so you don't have to check on my profile.**

Sirius is dark, but still has morals, A. K. A. he doesn't kill or torture for fun, but he will kill if he thinks it's neccesary. He finds it a bit disturbing that Harry kills for pleasure so that's his reaction and how I pictured it. He regrets not being there (_I accidently typed in their, I keep on using the wrong one out of habit_) for Harry and turning him into a murderer, taking what little innocence he had away.

I found out writing my dark, tragic, and angsty thoughts on paper do help lessen my nightmare's, woohoo! Instead of nightmares it's just really wierd dreams. I ended up dreaming I was a vampire lord sucking out peoples souls like on Skyrim, although I haven't played Dawngaurd yet since it's not on PS3. D=

**Descriptions/ Definitions:**

**Sabaku Fuyū (Desert Suspension)- **SUPPLEMENTARY  
Using his sand as a platform, Harry is able to float in the air.

**Suna no Tate (Shield Of Sand)-** DEFENSE  
This jutsu causes sand to automatically surround and protect Harry from harm, even if it's self-inflicted. The shield is capable of withstanding considerably strong attacks and projectiles, and can be hardened to a point where it's stronger than steel. It can be defeated by avoiding it completely with extremely high-speed attacks, or merely overcoming the shield with incredible brute force.

**Suna no Yoroi (Armor of Sand)- **DEFENSE  
Using this jutsu, Harry can cover himself in a compacted layer of sand, providing an additional defense should his Shield of Sand fail. Though quite effective, maintaining the armor requires a large amount of stamina. Furthermore, it is nowhere as resilient as the Shield of Sand, since it easily breaks away upon impact, meaning that the sole purpose of the armor is to absorb impact channeled unto Harry's body during battle.

**Sabaku Kyū (Sand Binding Coffin)-** OFFENSE  
With his ability to control sand, Harry encases his opponents in a large amount of sand, immobilizing them. It can be used to suffocate an opponent or in preparation for a deadlier technique, the Imploding Sand Funeral.

**Sabaku Sōsō (Imploding Sand Funeral)-** OFFENSE  
After wrapping an opponent with sand, Harry will cause the sand to implode and crush whatever is within. When used to kill a person, the death is so quick that there isn't even time to feel pain. The pressure also produces a sizable fountain of blood. Harry can control the pressure used in the attack, which allows him to merely break bones or completely liquefy an opponent.

**Sabaku Rō (Sandstorm Coffin)- **OFFENSE  
Harry uses an enormous quantity of sand to completely envelop the target from every direction and capture them. The speed, hardness, and scope of the sand depend on the amount of magic poured into it. This allows Harry to fine-tune the sand's properties to the size and characteristics of the target. No matter if the target is on the ground or flying in the air, it is almost impossible to escape from this technique. However, even if someone successfully escapes from it, Harry can easily use one of his offensive techniques, like the Sand Binding Coffin, to immediately attack the target.

**Sabaku** **Taisō (Sand Waterfall Imperial Funeral)- **OFFENSE  
Following the Sand Tsunami, Harry slams both hands palm down into the sand, creating powerful shock waves that compress the sand. Anything buried in the sand is subsequently crushed. The compressions also creates massive earthquakes.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN**: There are challenges on my profile if anyone's interested, all that I ask is that you PM that you've taken it up, and that's only after you've gotten the first chapter written so I know your serious. I'm becoming a night owl again an my family have fallen back onto callin me a vampire, once again. Geez.

_No beta, so I'd appreciate it if you could tell me if I made any errors or give me ideas of improvement or where I can take this story._

Warning: _Intense Violence (Torture and Gore). Read at your own risk._

* * *

Chapter Four

Feathers Stained Red

_ Two Years Later_

Harry was soon going to turn eleven on September first and he was estatic. Soon he'd get his Hogwarts letter, he'd be able to go to the greatest wizarding school in Britain and he'd be that much closer to killing Dumbledore and Voldemort. He wouldn't kill Dumbledore yet, however, because if he did, if he was actually strong enough to do it, he'd have to deal with Voldemort and all his followers, and while he was confident in his abilities his Mother warned him that he was still not strong enough. Hurtful those words may have been, it was a bitter truth that Harry accepted.

He had mastered the first year spells, charms, and potions and was currently halfway to mastering the second years courses. The potions were one of the easiest with his near photographic memory which caused him to remember and be able to point out the differences in an imperfect and perfect potion, such as the color being slightly lighter, more thick or bubbly than it was depicted in the books.

Sirius was helping him with some of the lessons, and since he and his father's friends made the animagus potion Sirius said he should start preparing for when he'd take it in third year, so he was to meditate and try to find his animal spirit in the meantime. Harry was put out at having to wait that long but kept himself in check. Just because he was a murderer didn't mean he could just go and kill off anyone who annoys him because he was acting impatient, especially... family? Was that what Sirius was? Harry decided that he was since he was his godfather and friend, after all. He didn't think many people would be able to stomach being around him with him being what he is.

He had already told Sirius about Shukaku, and Sirius' only complaints on the matter was that, "How come you get a hot, possesive MILF in your head and I don't?"

Harry was quite annoyed at that.

Sylvanus seemed to enjoyed eating cats, although she could do without all the hair after having to regurgitate it all when it irritated her digestive tract. She was quite miffed at that, even if it was normal for snakes to regurgitate the undesirables left of their prey's remains. Maybe he'd take to skinning them alive before feeding them to her, it should be more bloody that way.

Speaking of Sylvanus, they completed the bonding ritual so they could now sense eachother's emotions and hear the other's thoughts, and once Harry had gotten use to another pair of emotions along side his they tested their mental communication, seeing if their was any kind of magic to block it off incase anyone found out about their link and seek to disrupt it for some reason or another. Harry was paranoid, having lived with the Dursley's had him on his toes in trying to avoid their cruel treatment and tricks.

Harry read up on magical families and their political power seeing as Sirius claimed him as the heir to the Black family, in the case that if he died he'd leave it to Harry to return it to it's glory, be it dark or light. It gave him a shock that Sirius would trust him with that much since he was basically what the wizarding world would consider 'dark', but Sirius was quite adamant in saying as long as he didn't go murdering every living thing on the planet or raping someone he'd always be his godson.

Harry decided he wanted a liquid resistant umbrella for his birthday, not one of those crappy fake ones that he had gotten. Maybe he should have asked Sirius to put some type of spell on one of them to repel liquid 24/7. That would have been better than having to throw away perfectly good clothes if they stained or he didn't have time to clean them before someone figured out it was blood. Sirius was quite freaked out when he said it was to make sure he didn't get any blood on him, making Sirius think it was going to be in daily use.

When he had killed the last of his tormenters two years ago he had never felt better, as if he was a caged bird who's barred gate had been opened allowing him to be free, letting him pursue his goals and what he wanted to do instead of treating him as a slave, or better yet, a house elf. He had seen the Black's family elf and he didn't take well for his blood to be called filthy since he was a half-blood. He didn't very well much like muggles because of his relatives and his cousin's thugs, and to have his blood related to them made him angry. He could tolerate muggle-borns seeing as they were still magical, but full muggles disgusted him. He understood that they weren't _all_ the same but he just didn't care for them.

He was brought back to reality when Sirius barged into his room, a wolfish grin on his face as his dark eyes seemed to smile along. He was holding an opened letter in his hand, and on it was the Hogwarts seal, having been brokened from the letter being torn open in Sirius' haste.

Harry grinned as well, jumping up from his bed and asking for confirmation, "Is that?"

"Yep! It's your Hogwart's letter, pup!"

Harry's grin widened further, from anticipation and barely veiled bloodlust. He was practicing on hiding it, his insanity and lust for blood, so that it would be easier to get people to trust him within Hogwarts. It wouldn't due to have Dumbledore mistrust him or figure out he was the one who murdered his relatives. He didn't want to end up like Sirius did, miserable, malnourished and frail if he ever escaped, which he would.

Sirius handed him the letter which Harry quickly scanned over, his dark emerald eyes flicking over the houses mascots, which were four animals; a lion with scalet and gold fur, a badger colored canary yellow and black, a raven whose feathers were blue with bronze and a snake whose scales were green and silver. The letter read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Subaku,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Harry turned to Sirius with an unreadable look in his eyes, which made Sirius cower a little in confusion.

"What is it, pup?"

"I killed Willy yesterday. We're going to need another owl, and this time _I'm_ going to pick _mine_ because you always get the annoying ones."

Willy was a 'White-Face Owl', whose kind was thought to be extinct, and was the only male recorded to be left alive in bothe the wizarding and muggle world. Harry had resisted the urge to not kill the bird for it's insistent chatter that sounded like hacking laughter for three weeks because Sirius had gotten slightly attached to it, but couldn't continue to hold out when the bird decided to release it's waste into his sand when he was practicing with it.

Sirius blinked before gaping. "You just officially made Whēkau's extinct, seeing as that was the only male left. What do you have to say for yourself, pup?"

An ear to ear grin and a snicker accompanied Harry's answer. "Your the one who ate him, not me."

Sirius suddenly realized that the chicken, which Harry had cooked, wasn't actually a chicken.

* * *

Harry and Sirius had split up at Diagon Alley, Sirius to get his supplies and Harry to get his school conditioned wand at Ollivander's wand shop and later an owl to use for school. Diagon Alley was packed at this time, dozens of children and parents scurrying about in attempt to quickly get their supplies before they ran out. Harry had nearly bumped into a plump, muttering red-headed woman who was going on about dragon dung if he heard correctly. He felt his temper flare slighty but reigned it in.

The shop he was approaching was narrow and shabby looking, the gold letters that were written on the weather beaten door, which said 'Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.', were peeling. The windows were dusty and only one displayed a single wand on a cushion, which Harry presumed to be either important or just to attract customers.

He grasped the handle and pushed the door open with a creak, the tinkling bell perched at the top chiming within the shop. The shop was tiny, void except for a single chair that appeared thin and frail. He felt magic saturating the air, causing the the hair that was on his bare neck to stick up. He knew that the energy was radiating from the numerous shelves with thin boxes that no doubt contained wands. He was particularly drawn to the wand nestled in the cushion by the window, which was giving off far more magic alone than a dozen of the wands that were lined up on the shelves that stretched towards the ceiling.

So lost was he examining the magic that was rippling through the air and silence that he let his gaurd down.

"Good afternoon," a soft voice called, sounding aged and distinctly male.

_Behind me!_ Harry very nearly jumped, but instead whirled around and struggled to keep his sand from materializing when he realized that whoever said it might be the shopkeeper.

A pair of wide, pale moon-like eyes gazed at him, belonging to the thin old man who seemed to be as much apart of the silence as the stars were apart of the sky, reminding Harry of a life-like statue. It caused him to feel a small amount of uneasiness.

Harry swore silently to himself, angry that he let lowered his gaurd before returning a greeting.

"Hello," Harry said slowly, doing his best to be polite. "You wouldn't happen to be Mr. Ollivander, would you?"

"That I am, and I have expected you, Harry Potter. Your eyes are so much like your mother's." It shocked Harry that this man knew his former name more than having his eyes being compared to Lily's, seeing as that Sirius told him that occasionally.

"I'm sorry," Harry interrupted with a clipped and dangerous edge appearing in his voice, "But I'm not Harry Potter, I'm Hadrian Subaku. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't refer to me as that."

"Ah, yes, my apologies. I wasn't aware that you changed it and I'll be sure not to inform anyone who you are, customer confidentiality, of course."

Harry stared at him suspiciously before nodding. "Thank you."

"Your welcome." Ollivander pulled out some measuring tape, gaining a confused look from Harry. "Now then, which is your wand arm?"

"I'm right-handed," said Harry.

"Hold out your arm then. Yes, like that." Ollivander measured him shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Subaku. We use nundu hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and even the eyelashes of a basilisk. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, nundus, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

_I can understand that,_ thought Harry as he nodded along, suddenly realizing that the tape was now measuring him on it's own when Oliivander moved away. Ollivander ambled from shelf to shelf, removing the thin boxes from their perches.

"That'll do," he said returning with several boxes, the measuring tape collapsing onto the floor in a heap. "Please try this one, . Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave." Harry grasped the wand firmly and waved it, however he didn't feel any connection to it. Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try-" Hadrian obeyed - but he had barely been able to raise the wand when it was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander like he did with the other wand.

"No, no - here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry attempted again and again to see if there was a connection but failed. His ire was rising with each failure and the heap of wands he attempted was reaching higher and higher. It seemed the more wands that Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier to became. Harry didn't know how much longer he'd be able to control his frustration before he _accidently_ lashed out and end up causing a sandstorm within the small librabry like shop, most likely killing the frail old man in the process.

"My, your a very picky customer, aren't you? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now-" Ollivander vanished behind the shelves that hid the windows, before returning. "Yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry wearily accepted the wand when he felt a sudden eruption of sparks in his hand, the wand splintering and cracking before Ollivander could snatch it back. The wand fell in three halves, and Ollivander looked on sadly.

"Let's try something else, shall we? I don't want another one of my precious wands to go to waste." Harry mere nodded and followed him to the back of the store and into a storage room. The wall to the far left was lined with barrels, back and white oozing magic off of them.

"I need you to run your hand above the white barrels and see if you feel a reaction." Harry felt annoyed that they couldn't do thin in the first place but obeyed.

Harry ran his fingers over the brim of the first barrel, feeling the wood beneath his fingers, before moving on. Barrel after barel, he was nearing the black barrels when he felt a pulse. He motioned to Ollivander and the old man came over, dipping his hand into the barrel and pulling out an ashen-grey bone.

"This is the bone of a Dementor, it's a bit unusual to have in a wand but not rare. Now, repeat what you did, only with the black barrels.

Harry did but this time he found a reaction fairly quickly. Ollivander pulled out a piece of a lcracked, lifeless branch, it looked gnarled, twisting and curving, and Harry thought it would crumble at a moments notice. Ollivander looked confused, inspecting Harry with his eyes before flicking them back towards the branch.

"This... this is the branch of Ruin, I've never had to use such a terrible thing for my wands before. In the past the tree of Ruin devoured all life with it's branches, turning the water a poisonous green and cousing toic gas to pollut the air, killing all plant life and animals caught in it. It's elementalal properties enchance curses and charms, particularly the Unforgivables..."

Ollivander shook his head, before disappearing back into the main room and vanishing into another door, not before telling Harry, "Wait here, if you please. IT'll be done in an hour or two.

Harry sat down in the spindly chair slowly, waiting impatiently for Ollivander to finish his wand. Soon he'd be able to get_ out_of here and he couldn't wait to get away from the old man.

An hour and a half later the door Ollivander had dissappeared into opend with a creak and Ollivander came in houlding a wand that loocked like a frail piece of dying wood attached to a black handle. He walked up to Harry silenty to hand him the wand, and once Harry rose out of the chair to grasp it he fel a soothing cold evelop over him. The wand clasped in his hand firmly he raised his arm straight and silently cated the Alohomora spell, it's bright light bursting forth in wispy tendrils of silver outlined in a black. Once he released the spell small, shadow black human figures danced oddly out of the wand before dispersing in a vanishing explosion of inkyness.

Harry had a grin etched on his face, glad to finally have found his wand and escape the stuffy shop lined with dust, while Ollivander looked amazed. He paid Ollivander seven Galleons.

_"Congratulations," _His mother appraised.

_Thank you, Mother._ Harry responded. He was glad to finally be able to get out of this stuffy store.

Mr. Ollivander called out from behind him as he left, "Excellent! Yes, indeed!" Ollivander paused, before taking on a solemn look, making Harry wonder if he was bipolar.

* * *

Once outside he noticed how late it was, the sun nearly touching the horizon and bathing everything in it's fiery light. Harry quickly made his way to the Eeylops Owl Emporium, not spotting Sirius there yet, and entered.

The shop was filled with shrieks and hoots, the beating of wings seeming to echo in Harry's very ears. He scrunched up his nose in disgust, the scent of bird droppings flitering through his nostrils and weakening his sense of smell. Birds of every kind flew high and hung low, their avian features varying between thin and short to long and stocky. All the birds went silent, perching themselves on cages and pedestals, but only one bird stuck out to Harry. A single white owl with dark flecks on her wings, whose feathers reminded Harry of the snow itself, gazed at him with an unusual intelligence in her proud topaz colored eyes, locked firmly on Harry's dark emeralds. She was perched high above, unreachable, upon the beams that supported the roof.

The owl hooted once at him, the only bird to make a sound. Harry narrowed his gaze, wondering what she wanted from him when she hooted again.

The unnoticed shopkeeper looked on in fascination as the owl that caused trouble for every when they attempted to purchase her interacted with the dark red-headed boy. She opened her mouth and said, "Try holding out your arm, see if she comes to you. She's never done this before."

Harry blinked, turning his gaze to the shopkeeper before nodding, sticking out his arm slowly. Once fully outstretched the owl ruffled her feathers before taking flight, swooping down like like a phantom and carefully locking her blade-like talons onto his elbow.

Harry gazed at her in fascination, "I want her, how much is she?"

The shopkeeper smiled, "Five Galleons."

* * *

Harry met up with Sirius and introduced him to Miria, the name he had given the snowy white owl. The name reminded him of a phantom or mirage and he thought it suited her. The owl was intelligent enough to be able to hoot or nod, so she showed him her approval to the name.

"She is a lovely bird, intelligent too, I have to admit, but doesn't she seem a little, I don't know... possesive?" Sirius commented, eyeing Miria who suddenly looked proud before glaring at Sirius. She had settled on Harry's shoulder and furiously snapped her beak at Sirius when he had tried to touch her or Harry.

"Maybe, but I don't care. I think perhaps your a bit jealous."

Sirius guffawed. "Of what?"

Harry merely hummed, before answering, "I have three females, even if they aren't human, and all it took for two of them was to ask for them to accompany me. The other has been with me since I was born. Your a grown man and the only woman you can lay is in your animagus form, that is if they don't run away in terror thinking your the grim."

_"So I'm yours, am I?"_ His Mother's voice sound out from within his head, undoubtably amused.

_Your sealed in me and you are my Mother, are you not?_

_"...Touche."_

"Ouch, that hurt, pup, it hurts right here." Sirius motion to where his heart would be with his index finger.

Harry blinked for a second, having a disturbing thought.

"You don't have any_ real..._ pups, do you? I don't want to have to deal with _breaking_ them in."

Sirius stumbled. "_No!_"

Harry thought Sirius denied that a bit too quickly, but shrugged anyways.

* * *

August past quickly, Harry dealing with Sirius' shenanigans and Miria and Sylvanus' few arguments. Sylvanus liked being wrapped around Harry's neck and Miria like being on his shoulders, so occasionally Sylvanus might cause Miria to partially fall off or Miria might end up pocking into Sylvanus with her talons. It took a while to get Sylvaus unwrapped from Miria and Sylvanus' tail out of Miria's beak. Harry had a difficult time getting them to tolerate eachother.

Sirius commited a few pranks here and there but was careful not to do anything to over the top with Harry so he didn't anger him. In return Harry would hand Sirius upside down with his sand for an hour or two and leave his sand in his clothing and other uncomfortable places.

Harry was counting off the days 'til he'd be shipped off to Hogwarts, and couldn't wait to see Dumbledore. He wanted to humiliate him in someway and see how badly stressed he was from the Boy-Who-Lived vanishing right beneath his crooked nose.

Once the day arrived he found himself at King's Cross with Sirius informing him how to get onto the train. He was wheeling along a trolley, his staff shrunk and transfigured into a ivory band on his finger, which he thought was pointless, but did it anyways to keep up the appearances of being a normal muggle/ wizard. In the cart was Miria, shut within a steel cage, which she and Harry did _not_ like. Harry for the fact that it reminded him of being locked in that filthy cupboard and Miria for the fact that she didn''t have enough room to do much of anything, but they both knew it was necessary to avoid even _more_ unwanted attention.

Once they arrived at platform nine and three-quarters, Sirius instructed him to, "You have to walk straight towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't be nervous or stop, this isn't a prank, and if you do you'll crash into it, it's very important that you _don't_ stop."

Harry nodded. "See you later, Sirius. It'll be boring without you trying to hump a girls leg."

Sirius grinned, "I love you too, pup."

Harry smirked before walking towards the barrier, his dark emerald eyes set in determination. Miria clicked her beak in nervousness and Sylvanus tightened her hold on his arm, hidden beneath his long sleeves. Harry closed his eyes as he felt magic whirl around him, blowing his hair before he heard a train's horn blow. Opening his eyes he saw a scarlet steam engine blowing smoke out the pipe on top. There was a sign above attached to a pole that said 'Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock.'

Harry glanced behind him and saw a iron shaped into an archway where the brick barrier had been, the words 'Platform Nine and Three-Quarters' on it. Harry's smirk widened before he rolled his cart towards the train, smoke circling above the heads within the crowd. Numerous cats weaved between legs and Miria remained silent, content with not answering the disgruntled bird calls. Trolleys were rocked, causing the sound of trembling metal hitting the floor to sound and people were jostled. Harry didn't bother murmuring an apology to anyone he bumped into, knowing they wouldn't hear or wouldn't return it.

Many of the train carts were already packed with students of varying ages and blood, some speaking to their families through the window and others arguing over seats. Harry ignored them and pushed his cart down the aisles to find a vacant cart to be alone.

Harry distinctly heard a boy mumble something about losing a toad and his grandmother sighing out what he presumed to be the boy's name, which was Neville.

He passed a crowd surrounding a boy with dreadlocks.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on."

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg, causing Harry's ears to ring slightly and huffed aloud in annoyance. _It's just a spider, geez._

_"Spiders belong beneath us, Master. I find it disgusting that anyone would want one as a pet." _Sylvanus hissed out indignantly, apalled by the idea that anyone would have an eight-legged as their pet. Snakes venom was far more dangerous and they could constrict or bite them with their fangs if that didn't work.

_"Countless humans fret over the smallest things, it does no good to dwell on their stupidity." _Harry nodded to his Mother and Sylvanus, agreeing with both of them.

Harry did his best to weave through the crowd until he found an vacant compartment near the end of the train. He placed Miria inside and then lifted his trunk and pushed it into the compartment where he placed it in a corner. He shut the door, not before noticing twin red-heads taking off down the hall where they hopped off the train to talk to what he concluded to be their family.

_How can anyone have a family full of so many red-heads? Is it even natural?_

He removed his attention from them to engage in a conversation about various poisons and other snakes for the remaining time until the train left the station. Another ginger-haired boy, who was tall and thin ith gangly arms and freckles, ran down the compartments before opening his.

"Do you know if Harry Potter's on this train?"

Harry glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, annoyed and suspicious, figuring that the boy only wanted him for his fame. His dark emerald eyes narrowed in coldness, not before noticing the smudge on his pink nose.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, now leave me alone, please." The ginger bristled and was about to say something when Harry turned his head to gaze at the boy directly, glaring. Harry decided he'd call him Ginger until he learned his name.

"_Go_ away, _now_."

Ginger fled.

Harry sighed, propping his feet on the seat opposite of him and placing his fist under his chin, his elbow supspending his head as he look out the window. The train jerked slightly, signaling him that they were beginning to leave the station.

He could see Ginger's female relatives running along with the train, slowing down as it gained speed, both having tears trailing down their cheeks as they waved goodbye.

_How sentimental..._

Harry felt a bit jealous. Even though they seemed poor they still were a family.

_"I'm here, dear one."_

Harry felt a smile, a genuine one, grace his face and nodded.

He continued to watch the scenery fly by, and soon the train took him out of London. They sped past forests, pastures, farms, lakes and rivers, past fields containing cow and sheep.

About half an hour had past when he hear a clattering outside in the corridor and his compartment door slid open, revealing a smiling, dimpled woman, who asked, "Anything off the cart, dear?"

Harry rose out of his seat with a nod, slightly hungry. He bought a couple of Chocolate Frogs, which Sirius had gotten him some to try one day during a trip to Diagon Alley. Giving the woman the required amount he murmured a polite 'thank you' before sitting back down.

Ripping open the package of Chocolate Frogs he quickly bit off the head off one so it wouldn't try to escape. He watched the scenery change again, this time untouched by humans. Gnarled trees and tall grass fields were seen behind the transparent glass.

Harry was bored and wished there was something or someone he could kill without pandemonium ensuing for his actions.

Harry turned his eyes to the door when someone knocked. He gave whoever behind it approval to come in and the compartment door slid open, revealing a teary-eyed, round faced boy who he remembered to be Neville. He looked distraught.

"Sorry," he apologized, his voice trembling, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

"No, sorry."

Neville wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Hadrian, "Why don't you ask a prefect to perform _Accio_ to bring him to you?"

Neville froze, before thanking him profusely and scurrying off to find a prefect.

Harry sighed, drumming his fingers on the window sill for a few minutes before Neville returned, this time with a toad and a bushy-haired girl with large front teeth. She wore her new school robes.

"Thank you for telling me to inform a prefect, I wouldn't know what to do without Trevor." Harry merely nodded when the girl spoke up, her tone sounding bossy.

"So your the one who told Neville the summoning charm. How did you know about it, it's not even a fourth year spell?"

"How do _you_ know about it, and why should I tell you, a stranger, how I know it?" Harry didn't like the way she was trying to boss him around and pry into information she had no business in.

Hermione huffed angrily, and Neville was glancing between the two fearfully. "I read it and it's a simple question."

"One I have no reason to answer, and for your information, one I don't _want_ to. Please leave me alone."

Hermione stomped her foot, bristling, before turning on her heel and leaving. Neville followed, not before throwing Harry an apologetic glance over his shoulder and a whispered sorry that he accepted.

_"Annoying know-it-all, trying to order my Master around." _Sylvanus hissed and Miria shared her anger, having been clicking her beak furiously during the whole exchange.

_"It's all right, Sylvanus. Humans don't know that their not the mightiest predator yet, only Mother deserves that title."_ Harry replied quietly in silver tongue. Sylvanus merely nodded her serpentine head before ducking it back into his sleeves, eager to get some sleep. Harry let Miria out and stroked her feathers to calm her down.

_"I'm honored you think so highly of me, dear one." _

_Why wouldn't I?_

Harry hoped he was in Ravenclaw or Slytherin, he didn't think he could stand being in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. On second thought, he hoped he wasn't in Slytherin, it would make Dumbledore think that he was going 'dark' if he ended up there. He scoffed. The 'dark' spells could be used for the light if they wanted to but they all just categorised them as bad because dark lords and criminals frequently used them.

Miria hooted affectionately and nipped his finger tips when he scoffed, thinking he was becoming angry or annoyed. Harry smiled and stroked under her chin. He was interrupted when his compartment door slid opened and three boys walked in, one strutting arrogantly. The one who strutted had silvery-blonde hair slicked back, steel grey eyes, a pointed nose and a thin body. He had an air of superiority emanating from him, only strengthened by the two bodyguard like boys behind him. One was tall and stocky, wearing glasses, and the other was short and heavy. Both seemed to be lacking intelligence.

"Have you seen Harry _Potter_?" The apparent leader of the group asked, spitting out the name Potter.

"As I told the ginger who asked before, no."

The blonde stared at him suspiciously, "Are you a Weasley? You don't have the freckles or poor clothes and your hair is red, even though it seems darker than usual."

"I don't know the Weasleys, so no, I'm not a Weasley. Although, now that I think about it, Ginger may have been."

The boy smirked before walking a bit closer, wary of Miria's topaz eyes firmly locked on his hand when he stretched it out for Hadrian to shake. "My names Draco, Draco Malfoy. What's yours?"

Harry remained silent, staring at the hand. _Malfoy? That's a wealthy pure-blood family, isn't it? The one that holds a lot of political and social influence. Sirius didn't like him but told me it would be useful to have them on as our allies, even if temporarily since they're suspected Death Eaters. Maybe I can sway him to our side? _

Harry accepted the handshake, reaching up and clasping their hands together firmly, displaying some of his strength.

"My name is Hadrian Subaku. Half-blood."

Draco nodded. He had nothing against half-bloods, only filthy mudbloods.

"I think you and I can be great friends." Harry nodded silently, amusement gone unnoticed in his dark green eyes.

"I agree."

* * *

After changing and leaving his luggage in his compartment Harry strode out into the corridors, blending in with the throng of students rushing out of the train once it slowed to a stop. People struggled their way out towards the door and on to a small platform, bathed in darkness.

Harry breathed out frosty prespiration and a lamp bobbed over the heads of the students, and Harry saw a large shadow loom over them, causing everyone excluding him to cower for a moment when it spoke.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" The students looked on in shock as a giant of a man with eyes as dark as obsidian towered over the sea of students, a large beaming smile etched on his harry face.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years?" He examined the area for a moment to be sure that no students had wandered off or no one was missing.

"Alrigh' then, watch yer step! Firs' years, behind me!" He lumbered down a steep path, thin and winding. Harry wished he'd stop yelling and saying 'firs' years', it was grating on his nerves.

Many were slipping and stumbling as they followed the giant down the narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that many students wondered if there was thick trees there.

Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, was sniffling. It seemed he lost Trevor once again.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," The giant called over his broad fur-clothed shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There were sounds of awe, the students amazed at the sight before them. Harry quickly hid his, schooling his features in a mask of boredom.

The gloomy path trailed on into an archway that stopped right at the edge of an enormous lake, the darkness making it seem like the waters were nothing more than ink. Atop a high mountain on the other side was a vast, exsquisite castle with many turrets and towers that seemed to pierce the clouds. The windows shined with an almost welcoming golden light.

"No more'n four to ah boat!" The large man called, gesturing towards the small boats than were nestled at the shore, partially rocked by the small, dark, rolling waves. Harry strode carefully to one of the boats and climbed in, careful not to get himself wet lest it weaken his sand armor.

_Is there magic to make sure we don't sink? _He eyed the boat carefully. He was joined by Neville, the bossy girl who was glaring at him, and a dark-skinned male with braided hair. Harry ignored them except for neville, which he exchanged greetings with.

"Everyone inside?" shouted the giant, who had a whole boat to himself. "Alrigh', ONWARD!"

The fleet of little boats sailed across the water smoothly, void of all sound except the rocking of the boats and the slapping of water against the bare wood. The Hogwarts castle all had the students eyes locked firmly on it, anxious and amazed. They soon reached the cliff that it was placed on.

"Heads down!" yelled the giant as the first boats reached the cliff.

Everyone except Harry obeyed, bending their heads.

_Of course a half-giant would have to bend their head. _Hadrian thought amused.

The boats entered a dark tunnel which made Harry think of a sewer. Once they reached an underground harbor they all hopped out, some sloshing in the water while Harry cautiously avoided getting water on his robes.

"Oi, you there! Is this yer toad?" asked the giant after examining the boats when people clambered out of them.

"T- Trevor!" cried Neville, cupping his hands. They walked up another passageway that trailed off into a flight stairs which ended with an enormous, barred door which Harry suspected to be made of oak.

"Everyone 'ere?" At everyone's nod he turned to Neville, "Still got yer toad?"

Neville tinged pink and nodded once more, his eyes falling to the floor in embaressment.

The giant raised a colossal fist and brought it down on the large door, the banging echoing down the stone passageway.

The door opened immediately, giving harry the impression that the tall, strict looking, black-haired woman behind it clothed in emerald robes had been waiting the whole time.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the giant. Harry's eyebrow twitched. He said _it_ again...

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." Hagrid left, lumbering throught the oak door and down the hall once she pulled the door open fully. The entrance hall was large and the walls were lined with torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling too high to make out.

Harry saw a marble staircase facing towards them leading to other staircases, and when he looked up hearing the sounds of the stairs seeming to swing, he realized they were really _moving_. He wasn't all that suprised, having read it in 'Hogwarts, A History.'

They were guided by Professor McGonagall across the floor and into a small, empty chamber off the hall. Harry heard the chatter of voices somewhere off down one of th halls and behind a large door. The huddled together once inside, nervous. Harry felt annoyed when a student bumped into him and walked off to the side near a desk, leaning on it to avoid being jostled.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall, sound rehearsed. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

She paused, before continuing, "I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak and flicked towards Ginger's smudged nose.

Harry smirked, amused, not at all cowed when the stern woman directed her gaze towards his tatoo.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She exited the chamber.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he heard someone whisper.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Ginger, faithful as ever, answered with shaky information.

_. _Harry tried not to laugh.

Students began to panic, and Harry could almost hear their heart beat furiously within their ribcages, pumping that precious scarlet liquid all the quicker in their veins.

_I need to kill something, soon. _He thought darkly.

No one was talking much except for the bushy-haired girl, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which ones she'd need.

_Is she trying to make everyone feel stupid and scared? _He mused quietly.

It was working, of course. The terror showed on many of the student's faces. He shook his head, sighing, before plopping himself onto the desk, only to leap off of it and into a defensive position when the crowd screamed.

He blinked, before relaxing when he realized it was a couple of ghosts he had read about in one of the Hogwart's school books. Everything about them was ash-white, even their clothers, and they were partially transparent.

They swooped across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk saying something about forgiveness and second chances. The argument seemed to be caused by another ghost named Peeves, a poltergeist, when the ghost wearing tights seemed to have suddenly noticed them.

Harry thought that this, too, was rehearsed.

"I say, what are you all doing here?"

Harry answered after everyone else stayed silent, suprising everyone.

"We're new students."

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, the monk, beaming at Harry. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"

Harry murmured a 'yes', suddenly feeling a headache coming on and a few others nodded silently, stunned.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

_Sorry, I don't think you'll see _me _in Hufflepuff._

"Move along now," a sharp voice echoed. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned.

_How convenient, right after the ghosts appeared._

The ghosts shot towards the wall parallel to the one they drifted through.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall instructed the first years, "and follow me."

Harry filed into the line behind a boy with sandy hair and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors that led into the Great Hall.

Thousands of candles were floating overhead, and beneath them were four long tables where the rest of the students were seated. The tables were filled with ridiculously glittering golden plates, goblets and tankards.

At the end of the hall was another table where the teachers sat, gazing down at them. He specifically noticed an old man.

_Dumbledore,_ he thought in excitement. He couldn't wait to kill him and pluck out his twinkling eyes, which he avoided looking directly into. He seem to be frowning, his eyes sliding over the various students in search of some one._ Him_.

Professor McGonagall led the first years up there, facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. Ghosts sat with the students, standing out like white, glowing bulbs.

He faintly heard the know-it-all breathe out quietly about the ceiling, or the lack of it.

"Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in 'Hogwarts, A History.'"

_Please, just shut up._

Professor McGonagall revealed a pointed wizard's hat. The hat was dirty, frayed and seemed liked something that better belonged in the garbage.

_I wonder if it has lice... _He hoped not, if he was going to have to put it on. The other students looked confused and anxious.

The tip of the hat jerked up, a rip on the brim opened, and it began to sing.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_  
_But don't judge on what you see,_  
_I'll eat myself if you can find_  
_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_  
_Your top hats sleek and tall,_  
_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
_And I can cap them all."_

Harry felt alarmed at the next words that were sung, but his Mother reassured him that the hat wouldn't be able to tell_ anyone_, not even Dumbledore, about what was within his mind.

_"There's nothing hidden in your head_  
_The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
_So try me on and I will tell you_  
_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
_Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
_Set Gryffindors apart;"_

_Not happening. _Harry metally scoffed.

_"You might belong in Hufflepuff,_  
_Where they are just and loyal,_  
_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_  
_if you've a ready mind,_  
_Where those of wit and learning,_  
_Will always find their kind;  
_  
_Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
_You'll make your real friends,_  
_Those cunning folk use any means_  
_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
_And don't get in a flap!_  
_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The students, ghosts and teachers seated burst into applause.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" The Ginger, persumed to be a Weasley, whispered furiously. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

_Kill...? _He fiddled with the white band on his ring finger, twirling it around the digit for a moment. _Why would they make eleven year olds wrestly a troll?_

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause -

"HUFFLEPUFF!"shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry noticed the ghost of the fat monk waving cheerily at her, his belly shaking.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" It repeated. Susan scurried off to sit next to the Abbot girl.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!" Went to Ravenclaw, too, but "Brown, Lavender!" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry's eyes picked out the Ginger's twin brothers wolf whistling.

_ Weasleys, or, at least, brothers._

"Bulstrode, Millicent!" then became a Slytherin.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide.

"Finnigan, Seamus!" the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione, the bushy-haired know-it-all, almost fell to the floor in her haste to get to the stool and slam the hat eagerly on her head.

_Did that hurt the hat?_

"GRYFFINDOR!" Came the disgruntled cry.

_Yep._

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back, his cheeks having streaks of creeping pink tinging it, amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag.""Malfoy, Draco!"

Draco strutted forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon"…, "Nott"…, "Parkinson"…, then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"…, then "Perks, Sally-Anne"…,"Subaku, Hadrian!" Harry walked towards the stool confidently and sat, placing the hat on his head which covered his eyes. No one had looked particularly interested in him except for his odd last name.

_"Oh my..."_The hat's voice sounded out from within his head, causing him to tense up.

_"Don't worry yourself, kid. No matter what I'm not allowed to inform anyone of what knowledge I gain from the mind I sift through because of the magic the founders granted me,"_

Harry nodded.

_"And besides, I'm quite terrified of your Mother on this end and I'd rather not have my consciousness buried beneath a hundred meters of dirt in _your_ head."_

Harry smirked. _Well then, would you mind putting me in Ravenclaw?_

The hat agrred hastily, eager to remove itself from Hadrian's mind, and cried out,

"RAVENCLAW!"

He lifted the hat up, hearing cheers, and strode off towards the Ravenclaw table, where he shook hands with mostly prefects and a few upper years before sitting down.

He grinned as Dumbledore's eyes almost franticly looked around, McGonagall looking grim, and the greasy-haired teacher with the crooked nose looked delighted. He felt something off about the man in the turban, who looked nervous.

_Two magical energies are pulsing from him. One's infinitely more grotesque than the other._

_...Why? _He wondered.

He ignored the rest of the sorting in favor of dwelling in his thoughts, wondering about the oddity that the man in the turban was, before turning and asking a Ravenclaw prefect who he was.

"Oh, him? He's Proffesor Quirrell. He always stutters and he's nervous because he had a run-in with a vampire, or so I've heard. Hasn't been the same since."

Harry nodded, thanking the prefect before turning back to the the staff table when Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody excluding Harry and a select few applauded him. Harry merely laughed at Dumbledore's insanity, although he wasn't one to complain, being insane himself, but Dumbledore was simply barmy.

Harry turned back to his own table when the dishes in front of him piled themselves with food. He ate his fill, occassionally making small talk with the other students nearby.

After desserts had come and the students had been filled to their heart's content, Dumbles stood and the hall fell silent.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered."

_What are we, horses? _Harry scoffed.

"I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flicked towards the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch, and finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry laughed, one of the few who did, but not because he thought he was joking. It sounded like Dumbledore was asking someone to go to the corridor.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry, whose eyebrow was twitching again (_I really should see someone about that, _he thought), noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his ivory wand a little flick (_leader of the light, indeed_) and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

Harry did his best to tune out the song, not joining in and remaining silent as he closed his eyes and folded his arms in annoyance.

At last, after the Weasly twins finished their slow funeral march, the horrendous song concluded, making Harry sigh and slump down into his seat.

_Thank God._

Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. Harry frowned. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

_Seriously, I was right? He thinks we're horses? _He guffawed mentally.

Harry, along with the other Ravenclaw first years followed a Prefect through crowd of rising students and out of the Great Hall. They trailed behind him, arriving at the Ravenclaw tower located at in the west wing of Hogwarts. They arrived at a painting that seemed to swirl with mist.

"To gain entry into the Ravenclaw dorms you must answer a riddle, and if you cannot seek out someone who can. Would anyone like to try?"

Harry spoke up, "I would, if you don't mind."

"Of course."

Harry walked up towards the painting, ignoring the gazes locked onto his lithe form when the painting spoke, it's voice both female and male.

**_"Two bodies I have; though joined in one. The longer I stand still; the quicker I run. What am I?"_**

Hadrian paused, taking a moment to consider the question, mulling it over for a minute.

_Two bodies... two halves connected to eachother, then. What runs quicker if it stands still...?_

The prefect spoke up, "It's alright if you can't sol-"

_Sand._

"Hourglass." Harry spoke the words clearly, certain.

The portrait was silent for a moment, before swinging open with an unearthly, _**"**__**Correct, well**** done." **_The prefect appraised him for a moment while the others look on slightly amazed, before they entered the dorm.

The common room was round, filled with blue hangings and fat armchairs, and had a domed ceiling painted with stars and featured a replica statue of Rowena, one of the four Founders, wearing her diadem. Harry also guessed that the Ravenclaw dorm had a spectacular view of the mountains. A few shelves filled to the brim with books were placed against the wall, curving along with it.

Harry took in this sight, before walking up to the boys dorm and finding Miria in her cage with Sylvanus, who he had left hidden to keep Miria company.

_"Welcome, Master. We missed you." _Sylvanus hissed while Miria hooted affectionately, apparently agreeing.

_"And I you." _He hissed quietly, quickly so as to not alert anyone that he could speak silver tongue. He rubbed his staff transfigured into the ivory band around his middle digit and decided he'd write sirius tomorrow. Right now he just wanted to relax and speak with Mother.

He sat onto his bed after changing, Sylvanus having stealthily wrapped herself around his waist. He stroked Miria's feathers, waiting to drift off to his mindscape, not truly sleeping, and slipped away listening to his Mother's voice.

* * *

**AN: **Did I make any mistakes? I don't think I checked over it well since I'm half-asleep writing this right now, I'd appreciate if you'd tell me how I can fix any problems.

**Going back to school soon, I've got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach just think about it, so I'm going to be having trouble writing this. **


	5. Chapter 5

This story is on a hiatus for now, due to recent events. My great grandmother has passed away, my mother's looking for a job so we can get a better house and I'm going back to school on the 27th. Don't worry though, I'll attempt to continue this fic in a month or so, it'll just take a while for me to get the writing spark back, any inspiration I had is gone and even though your reviews have made me want to update, I can't even get a paragraph down without erasing it.

Also, your welcome to use this idea to make your own as long as you give credit for the idea. The rest is yours. In fact, I'll make this a challenge for any who want to take it up in the case I never continue.

_It can to be a Harry/ Luna, Harry/Shukaku or Harry/ Bellatrix. _

_Harry HAS to kill the Dursleys and HAS to hate or dislike Dumbledore._

_Harry can be emotionless, insane, sadistic, whatever as long as he doesn't start off self-sacrificing and good. You can make him become better or worse in terms of good and evil later, the choice is yours._

There has to be a logical reason for him to be able to use his abilities and having Shukaku inside him, ex: I used magic to replace the spiritual energy of chakra.

Thank you for taking the time to read this story and I apologize for the inconvenience and not having another another chapter out. I loved seeing how many liked this and I feel ashamed for having it on hiatus.

~Faded Flight, signing out.


End file.
